Geopsychiatry is an exciting developing field and subspeciality in psychiatry. The subject focuses on the interface between geopolitical events and psychiatry. It is well recognised that social determinants affect causation of mental illnesses and outcomes. Geopolitical determinants tend to influence social determinants in an increased globalised and inter-connected world.

The world is currently experiencing a number of geopolitical crises, many of which are transnational and are changing the cultural architecture of communities and their mental health footprints.  From population growth to climate change, human-made and natural disasters and ongoing conflicts leading to mass migration and an increase in refugees and asylum seekers to the impact of droughts and floods, geopolitical factors are becoming increasingly important. In addition, conflict, populism, the erosion of human rights, inequalities, terror, and fragile security add to the global mental health burden and present the most fundamental global challenges. However, often their impact on mental health is not taken into account. For example, even when infectious diseases such as Covid-19, Sars, and Zika proliferate, the focus is typically on infection control and management rather than their impact on mental health and wellbeing of individuals and communities.

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Geopsychiatry1 is an exciting developing arena that welcomes scholars and

Interested individuals from different sectors, including health, environmental, human, social, economic, and political. It can help clarify the mental health causal chain and propose therapeutic and preventive macro- and individual-level interventions. It is also potentially useful to help policymakers and international aid agencies

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Terms of Remit:

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1. To identify topics related to geopsychiatry that are of substantial interest for psychiatry and create recommendations for WPA's involvement in problem-solving research, policy, practice, teaching, and service development of that type relevant to mental health/mental illness across the globe.

2. To support member societies, institutions and individuals interested and willing to participate in WPA’s programs of research, service development and education related to geopsychiatry

3. To communicate with the other international organisations with a view to ensure that geopsychiatry issues are considered in the work of these groups and vice versa.