She is a prominent critic of the modern 'psychopharmacological' model of mental disorder and drug treatment, and the role of the pharmaceutical industry.
[9] This is a group of psychiatrists from around the world who are sceptical of the idea that mental disorders are simply brain diseases and who campaign to reduce the influence of the pharmaceutical industry and find alternatives to narrow, medical model based practice.
[10] Moncrieff's work challenges the idea that drugs or medications have specific effects on underlying diseases or abnormalities.
Moncrieff contrast this with an alternative 'drug centred' model, which suggests that since psychiatric drugs are psychoactive substances, they work because they change the way people think, feel and behave.
The book also looks at recent developments, including the marketing of antipsychotics through the Early Intervention movement, and the promotion of a new and expanded concept of bipolar disorder.
[4][page needed] Moncrieff also describes the cultural development of the new concept of bipolar disorder, which she refers to as ‘the medicalisation of "ups and downs"’.
[27] Moncrieff has critically reviewed the literature on the use of drug treatments like acamprosate and naltrexone for alcohol problems[28] and the use of stimulants in children.
[29][page needed] Moncrieff has developed a political analysis of the drivers of modern mental health theory and practice and explored the influence of neoliberalism.