Women and Madness: Revised and Updated (Paperback)

by Phyllis Chesler (Author) "For I did not have a mother who bore me..." (more)
Key Phrases: general psychiatric wards, female mental patients, outpatient psychiatric facilities, Third World, Joan of Arc, New York Times (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Review
The single most important work on women and mental "health" and "illness," this book has revolutionized psychiatry since its publication in 1972. It is not an exaggeration to say that Phyllis Chesler gave birth to what is now known as feminist therapy through her analysis of how patriarchy shapes our definitions of madness, and of how psychiatry is used as a form of social control. What she shows is that women are defined as mad when they deviate from sex role stereotyping; that sex, class, race and marital status affect the likelihood of a woman being diagnosed as mad, and further determine her actual diagnosis or "type" of madness. And although much has changed in the world of therapy and psychology, this book remains as timely and significant today as it did over 20 years ago. -- From The WomanSource Catalog & Review: Tools for Connecting the Community for Women; review by Patricia Pettijohn --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Review

Praise for earlier editions:
"Intense, rapid, brilliant. A pioneer contribution to the feminization of psychiatric thinking and practice."--Adrienne Rich, Front Page, The New York Times Book Review
"Challenges the definition of madness itself. No serious future studies will be able to ignore its theories or its very existence."--Gloria Steinem, Ms. Magazine
"A stunning book...absolutely fascinating...necessary to every woman in America."--Los Angeles Times

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Product Details

• Paperback: 432 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; Rev Upd edition (October 13, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1403968977
• ISBN-13: 978-1403968975
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #501,400 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars We have paid the price for patriarchal privilege, September 8, 2000

By	Cathleen M. Walker "geminiwalker" (Massachusetts) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This review is from: Women and Madness (Paperback)

Dr. Chesler casts her clear eyed vision over the field of psychiatry/psychology and unveils the sexism that underlies the history and the practice of the "art." Who knows how much untold damage has been caused by those who understand little about women as a sex and could care less, as long as they establish their careers? Incorporating the mythology of women as metaphor, Chesler also paints a picture of how we, as women, have paid the price for patriarchal privilege. I read this book 20 years ago, and I just read it again. It was an enjoyable this time as it was then, maybe even more so, with the deeper understanding I have now about the roots of feminism.

The only thing I wish she had addressed in this revised edition is deinstitutionalization and its affects on women. Perhaps another time? Soon?

5 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good, but narrow in scope, December 21, 2001

By	Edwin B. Wollet (Clinton, Illinois USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Women and Madness (Paperback)

Why are so many women labeled (correctly or incorrectly) "mentally ill". Certainly, there seems to be a double standard as Ms. Chesler attests. However, what are the causes of this double standard? Ms. Chesler attributes it to an oppressive, patriarchal culture. Maybe. What is more likely is a combination of factors that include male aggressiveness and female passivity, both of which are personal choices not the responsibility of outside input. Yes, over the millenia, women have chosen to be passive and that "sets the deck" against new generations of women. But, for those females who are cultured passive and not genuinely mentally ill, the ultimate choice lies within themselves not on a psychiatrist's couch.

Overall, this book was well worth the read, and I would recommend it to anyone interested in mental health. Though rare I believe, there are real abuses that take place inside some therapists' offices, and those abuses, whether they involve women or men, should be exposed and the perpetrators punished. Ms. Chesler should be lauded for bringing up the disparity of the treatment of women versus men in the mental health field. Disregarding personal choices is however a fatal mistake in her argument.