Britain on the Couch

by Oliver James

Why we're unhappier than we were in the 1950s - despite being richer.Why has emotional discomfort increased as we have got richer? Oliver James psycho-analyses the deep-seated emotional malaise that afflicts the British people in the 1990s and proposes a three-point plan for healing. He singles out the role of individualism in raising expecta-tions, increasing discontent, spawning psychopathic behaviour and destroying personal relationships. We have not yet discovered a way to encourage every member of society to reach for the sky and yet not be selfish and disappointed when they fall to earth. In our personal lives we aspire to harmonious and intimate relationships, yet they are the greatest single cause of despair. Oliver James argues that the way we live now induces in our bodies low levels of the `happiness hormone' serotonin. He proposes that the way to heal ourselves is to correct the chemical imbalance directly, by means of drugs containing serotin, to take a complementary course of psychotherapy and-on a political level-to reorganize society on Scandinavian lines.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Sociology

432 pages, Paperback

First published September 29, 1997

About the author

Librarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.

Oliver James is a clinical psychologist, writer, broadcaster, and television documentary producer. He frequently broadcasts on radio and acts as a pundit on television.

He is the author of several books, including Affluenza, which examines the role that consumerist aspirations play in making us miserable.

In 1997 he presented The Chair for BBC 2, a series that put celebrities on the psychologist's couch, and in which Peter Mandelson famously shed a tear.

Oliver has produced and presented several other television series about the issues surrounding mental illness, and various psychological aspects of British society. He also presented a series for This Morning on child development and is a regular contributor to several broadsheet newspapers.

He is a trustee of the Alzheimer's charity, SPECAL and lives in Oxfordshire with his wife and two small children.

Reviews

[Nick Davies · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was interesting, but never quite as compelling and absorbing as I hoped - read in fairly short stretches over the course of a month, sat by my bed it was, bumbling away in the background a bit whilst I read other things more concentratedly.

Oliver James here (as the title suggests) discusses the possible reasons why people - moreso those in the first world - are unhappier compared to in the mid 20th Century. There's a lot of very well thought out and well made points about consumerism, competition in the social sphere, changes in gender roles, and how the lessening of concerns about some things (post-war poverty, disease etc.) has been replaced with other concerns at the millennium. However, there's a certain level of obviousness and self-evidence about much of this - I personally didn't need this explained at such length. Where neuroscience was broadly discussed, this was more interesting than anecdotal aspects of psychotherapy (which can only be seen as cherry-picked examples).

My appreciation was also blunted by it feeling dated. Published in 1998, there was a lot which I felt had further changed in the two decades since the book was written. I'd be interested to see how James would have included social media and the pressures on young folk to appear successful in this sphere, and also further discuss the more recent focus on toxic masculinity and concerns about male mental health and how this has changed since WWII. Naturally the book seemed to speak more about gender roles in terms of women's greater equality between the 1950s and 1990s.

[Tracey Madeley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a really interesting psychological and sociological study, but very readable. The idea that with the rise and expansion of education we are all now better qualified, but their job opportunities are not there to enable us to fulfill our potential and utilize our abilities. This causes frustration and depression in the mass of the population. He goes on the discuss gender rancore and the double standards between men and women, where women are regarded as unmarryable at 25 and men can leave it well into their 30's or even 40's. With the higher divorce rate I would argue this has been redressed somewhat, but men will always look for the youngest best looking woman they can find, or will allow. Women depend much more than ever on prosperous, successful men to support them through their child bearing years. Overall a very good book, but there are no solutions here.

[Sabine · Rating 2 out of 5]

A depressing read (especially when you are a young woman reading the chapters about gender rancour) and quite speculative. I also didn't like the writing style so it was hard to keep focused on the book. Interesting thought that mass media and capitalist culture encourages us to compare ourselves to other people which makes us feel inferior and as a result serotonin levels drop and we develop submissive behavioural characteristics like depression.

[Jelina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rather self-refrential almost frustratingly so. James books is still on the whole accessible and clear on both thesis and supporting evidence.

[Anni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very interesting and detailed book. I don't agree with all his statements. But a very interesting read. Although if you are not up to numbers and statistics then don't read it, because there are lots of those in this book.

[Liznemeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

There is too much talking in it, I turned unhappy. You know, back luck, I have not couch in my flat... OK, this good to read if you are interested in Sociology.

[Catarina Falk-cerri · Rating 4 out of 5]

tells it how it is and sometimes how it must be