Why do some people experience severe anxiety, depression, addiction, or psychosis, and how have psychologists attempted to understand and treat these conditions? Across history, mental illness has been understood in many ways, from moral failing or spiritual disturbance to disorders of the body’s chemistry. Today, research in psychology, neuroscience, and medicine seeks to explain how changes in the brain give rise to the thoughts, emotions, and behaviours that define mental illness. 

In this course, we will explore the science of mental health by examining the biological, psychological, and social factors that contribute to neuropsychiatric disorders.