Geopsychiatry from below: Exploratory review and preliminary analysis

Area of Science:

• Transdisciplinary research
• Mental health studies
• Human geography

Background:

• Investigates 'geopsychiatry from below', focusing on lived experiences of mental ill-health related to place and space.
• Addresses the need to understand how individuals with mental health conditions perceive and interact with their environment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore interdisciplinary literature for academic research on the 'geo' (place and space) from the perspective of lived experience.
• To identify and analyze existing scholarship and commentary that includes voices of experience regarding the geo.

Main Methods:

• Conducted an indicative and facilitative review of transdisciplinary literature across arts, humanities, and social sciences.
• Organized an exploratory workshop to analyze materials, detect relationships, and provisionally map findings.

Main Results:

• The literature review revealed a fragmented body of work on the 'geo from below', with limited direct inquiry into lived experiences.
• Developed an outline of prompts for relating 'Kinds of Places', 'Affective Qualities', and actual spaces based on literature and workshop analysis.

Conclusions:

• This study outlines the potential of 'geopsychiatry from below' as a framework for understanding the relationship between place and mental health.
• Provides foundational insights for future transdisciplinary research on the geo and mental (ill-)health, emphasizing the importance of lived experience.