The Myth of Mental Illness - 50th Edition by Thomas S Szasz (Paperback)

About the Book

Book Synopsis

"The landmark book that argued that psychiatry consistently expands its definition of mental illness to impose its authority over moral and cultural conflict." -- New York Times

The 50th anniversary edition of the most influential critique of psychiatry every written, with a new preface on the age of Prozac and Ritalin and the rise of designer drugs, plus two bonus essays.

Thomas Szasz's classic book revolutionized thinking about the nature of the psychiatric profession and the moral implications of its practices. By diagnosing unwanted behavior as mental illness, psychiatrists, Szasz argues, absolve individuals of responsibility for their actions and instead blame their alleged illness. He also critiques Freudian psychology as a pseudoscience and warns against the dangerous overreach of psychiatry into all aspects of modern life.

From the Back Cover

50th Anniversary Edition With a New Preface and Two Bonus Essays

The most influential critique of psychiatry ever written, Thomas Szasz's classic book revolutionized thinking about the nature of the psychiatric profession and the moral implications of its practices. By diagnosing unwanted behavior as mental illness, psychiatrists, Szasz argues, absolve individuals of responsibility for their actions and instead blame their alleged illness. He also critiques Freudian psychology as a pseudoscience and warns against the dangerous overreach of psychiatry into all aspects of modern life.

Review Quotes

"A classic." - Salon.com

"A damning critique of mental illness . . . a classic work." - Toronto Star

"The Myth of Mental Illness challenged almost every aspect of psychiatry and publicly declared its legal authority to be illegitimate. . . . significant." - Los Angeles Times

"Szasz's most famous book . . . Anyone interested in mental-health theories still ought to read Szasz before formulating any fixed opinions on the subject." - Christian Science Monitor

"Quite probably, Szasz has done more than any other man to alert the American public to the potential dangers of an excessively psychiatrized society." - Atlantic Monthly

"Controversial and influential . . . an iconoclastic work." - Joyce Carol Oates, New York Times Book Review

"The landmark book that argued that psychiatry consistently expands its definition of mental illness to impose its authority over moral and cultural conflict." - New York Times

"Szasz's radical views on mental illness and drug addiction have been presented with great consistency and courage . . . I predict that Dr. Szasz's work and thought will once again come to the fore: he takes the long view." - Will Self, The Times (London)

"Enormously courageous and highly infomative, and it makes fascinating reading . . . bold and often brilliant." - Science

"Raises major social issues which deserve the attention of all informed and socially conscious Americans . . . Quite probably, Szasz has done more than any other man to alert the American public to the potential dangers of an excessively psychiatrized society." - Atlantic Monthly