At the Heart of a Mad Movement

‘The publication of this book is very welcome. It celebrates the life and work of Peter Campbell, a pioneering mental health activist who spoke from his own extensive experience of being a psychiatric patient, frequently detained in the mentalhospitals of England. His writing gives a perceptive, eloquent and, ultimately, damning account of the mental health system in the closing decades of the last century. The editors are to be congratulated on gathering together Campbell’s many essays and articles, and, in particular, his powerful autobiography of his early ‘asylum’ years.’

Dr Allan Beveridge, Co-Book Review Editor, British Journal of Psychiatry, History and Humanities Editor, Journal of the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh

‘This new collection of the writings of Peter Campbell, psychiatric survivor and mental health activist, provides an important corrective to the standard histories of postwar psychological medicine. Against the familiar rehearsals of policy development and therapeutic innovations, these writings offer a valuable insider account of the lived experience of five decades which witnessed the transformation of psychiatry and mental health care in modern Britain. The humanity and energy of Campbell's approach shines through these writings and through the work of his editors. This is a truly valuable work.’

Dr Rhodri Hayward, School of History, Queen Mary, University of London

‘Peter Campbell was an extraordinary communicator and advocate for people with lives disrupted by profound mental illness, as his was. I was captivated by Peter's vivid turn of phrase and deep, haunting insights, into both mental illness and NHS mental healthcare. He went right to the nub of the matter, and expressed complex ideas clearly, elegantly and convincingly. As psy-professionals, we can learn much from his writings regarding patients’ perspectives, and how we can work together constructively for the better.’

Dr Claire Hilton, Psychiatrist and Historian

‘What a treat! Peter Campbell consistently channelled the spirit of the psychiatric survivor movement over many decades, but many are unaware of the scope and depth of his contributions. Fusing the personal and political, the individual and the collective, this collection is engaging, insightful, and highly relevant today. This book will enable contemporary survivors, activists and researchers to stand on the shoulder of a gentle giant of the movement. Modest during his life, I hope this book ensures his legacy.’

Hel Spandler, Editor, Asylum, the radical mental health magazine and Professor of Mental Health, University of Central Lancashire

‘Speaking for myself as a Black racialized misdiagnosed male, Peter’s case resonates. I empathize and celebrate his bravery, his resilience, and embrace his position as an activist for change in relation to the historical dehumanization he endured…. I feel Peter’s energy through his biography and life, his personal commitment towards radical ethical dismantling of a mental health system.’

From the ‘Afterword’ by Colin King, Black survivor research activist and founder of the Whiteness and Race Equality Network