The Big Anxiety: Taking Care of Mental Health in Times of Crisis

About the Author Jill Bennett is Scientia Professor at the University of New South Wales, Australia and Australian Research Council Laureate Fellow. She is Founding Director of the National Institute for Experimental Arts and of The Big Anxiety Festival; and is part of the leadership team of the Ageing Futures Institute.Mary Zournazi is an Australian author, philosopher and filmmaker. She is the author of several books, including Hope: New Philosophies for Change (2003), Keywords to War (2008) and Inventing Peace (2013) with the German filmmaker Wim Wenders. She wrote, directed and filmed the documentary films Dogs of Democracy (2017) and Rembetika Blues (2020). She currently teaches in the sociology program at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Product Description This book takes a creative approach in examining one of the biggest crises of our time: that of mental suffering, distress and anxiety. By bringing together essays and dialogues from thinkers and artists across a range of disciplines, it re-imagines approaches to crisis, support, and care. Amid growing recognition that mental health is not only the province of psychiatry and the health sector, but a concern for the whole community, the book opens up critical new ways of thinking about our internal lives and the forces that affect them. The book significantly advances the way we think about cultural responses to mental health and the understanding of the struggles of inner life. Featuring both theoretical and practical examples of the value of using imagination in response to trauma, anxiety, and depression, The Big Anxiety shows how creativity is not a luxury, but a means of survival. Review “Through this diverse collection of provocations, Jill Bennett presents an exciting new paradigm for understanding mental wellbeing. We see how art, in its myriad forms, can be uniquely placed to explore the personal, political and spiritual dimensions of distress – and to guide us towards a deeper, more empathic response” ―Nathan Filer, co-lead of the Research Centre for Mental Health, Wellbeing and Creativity at Bath Spa University, UK“Jill Bennett more than anyone manages to bind social and aesthetic issues on the profound level of thinking “in the world”. Mental health issues, or “neuro-diversity”, she takes on in this peerless volume, from a constructive aesthetic entrance. And “collaboration” is her middle name.” ―Mieke Bal, Independent Scholar and Artist, Amsterdam School for Cultural Analysis, the Netherlands“Breaking with the dominant bio-medical approach to mental health, this inspiring volume is firmly grounded in lived experience. Combining thought-provoking theory, practice and creativity, it encourages critical thinking with experiences of distress. The Big Anxiety leads the way in radically reconceptualising 'mental health' and its support through an exciting array of cultural and creative practices.” ―Renata Kokanovic, Professor of Health Sociology, RMIT University, Australia