Publisher's Synopsis
Non-psychotic psychiatric illness also referred to as Common Mental disorders was a term coined by Goldberg and Huxley to describe "disorders which are commonly encountered in community settings, and whose occurrence signals a breakdown in normal functioning". Non-psychotic psychiatric disorders are the third most frequent causes of morbidity in adults (prevalence rates) worldwide. Kerala has won an international reputation for having accomplished comparatively high levels of health, education and social welfare, and for engendering a political culture where the people are conscious of their rights However, Kerala has also experienced several negative mental health and social fall-outs. As a consequence, it is probable that several of the psychological and emotional problems being faced by the people of Kerala manifest themselves in non-psychotic psychiatric illness, predominantly in the form of somatic symptoms. People thus suffering tend to present themselves at the general practitioner settings, rather than at the specialist mental health sector of the psychiatrist.
