First published 2010
Robert Whitaker examines a troubling medical mystery. Over the past twenty years, the number of Americans disabled by mental illness has tripled. Each day, 1,100 adults and children join government disability rolls due to psychiatric conditions. This epidemic spreads fastest among children. Whitaker investigates what science reveals about mental disorders and their treatment. He explores whether psychiatric medications correct brain chemistry imbalances or actually cause them. The author examines five decades of research on long term outcomes for patients taking psychiatric drugs. He compares recovery rates between medicated and unmedicated patients with schizophrenia, depression, bipolar disorder, and ADHD. Whitaker reviews studies from the National Institute of Mental Health and other institutions. He tells personal stories of individuals caught in this crisis and describes innovative treatment programs in Europe and America that achieve better results. The book reveals why research findings pointing to surprising conclusions have remained hidden from public view.
Genres: science, psychology, medical, non-fiction, health, academic
Vibes: thought-provoking
Tropes: investigative-journalism
Period: 20th-century, 21st-century
282 pages · Kindle Edition · Broadway Books
Content warnings: mental-illness