In the past five decades or so there has been a massive increase in the populations living in urban areas across the globe. Apart from natural disasters, which push individuals to urban areas, industrialization as a result of globalization also contributes to movement of people, causing internal migration. Such movements bring with them specific problems of settling down, overcrowding, and demands on urban resources, which often cannot keep up with needs. Insecure employment or unemployment with frayed personal and social contacts can further contribute to stress and psychiatric disorders. Medical resources are often concentrated in urban areas. Increasingly, more attention is being paid to well-being in urban areas by changing urban design and creating more urban spaces. Changes in social network systems and support and care create further difficluties in caring for those who develop psychiatric disorders. This chapter sets the scene for the book and highlights major issues.