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Containing, thinking and public health

Containing, thinking and public health This paper argues that the capacity of individuals and of society as a whole to ‘contain’ experience, and to use this as a basis for thought, is central to good health. The paper first defines and describes ‘containing’ and thinking, with reference to a psychoanalytic model, and compares these definitions with similar concepts. The circumstances that promote or impede the development of the capacity for thought are then outlined, and a spectrum of this capacity is described and correlated with a spectrum of vulnerability‐resilience to ill health. A review of the associated literature indicates significant links to health‐related behaviours, health outcomes and inequalities; interventions at a population level could aim to shift people at the vulnerable end of the spectrum towards resilience. However such measures are unlikely to be effective on their own: what is needed is a containing and thinking society, characterised by a wish to know about reality, and to link together information about the state of its citizens and the wider world. The paper concludes with a discussion of the political and policy‐making implications. http://www.deepdyve.com/assets/images/DeepDyve-Logo-lg.png Journal of Public Mental Health Emerald Publishing

Containing, thinking and public health

Journal of Public Mental Health , Volume 6 (3): 9 – Sep 1, 2007

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References (61)

Publisher
Emerald Publishing
Copyright
Copyright © 2007 Emerald Group Publishing Limited. All rights reserved.
ISSN
1746-5729
DOI
10.1108/17465729200700019
Publisher site
See Article on Publisher Site

Abstract

This paper argues that the capacity of individuals and of society as a whole to ‘contain’ experience, and to use this as a basis for thought, is central to good health. The paper first defines and describes ‘containing’ and thinking, with reference to a psychoanalytic model, and compares these definitions with similar concepts. The circumstances that promote or impede the development of the capacity for thought are then outlined, and a spectrum of this capacity is described and correlated with a spectrum of vulnerability‐resilience to ill health. A review of the associated literature indicates significant links to health‐related behaviours, health outcomes and inequalities; interventions at a population level could aim to shift people at the vulnerable end of the spectrum towards resilience. However such measures are unlikely to be effective on their own: what is needed is a containing and thinking society, characterised by a wish to know about reality, and to link together information about the state of its citizens and the wider world. The paper concludes with a discussion of the political and policy‐making implications.

Journal

Journal of Public Mental HealthEmerald Publishing

Published: Sep 1, 2007

Keywords: Psychoanalysis; Public health; Thinking; Containment; Health inequalities

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