I read this for a college "Clinical Neuroscience" class. Excellent book that allows the reader to realize the mistakes in the DSM (it's not the "bible" of mental illnesses), and that over-diagnosis is an upcoming problem in the world. The author made many interesting points: Just because a person can't concentrate or focus well or is hyperactive does not suddenly mean they should get an ADHD diagnosis and be thrown on drugs (some as young as 2 years old) and then have to deal with (sometimes very severe) problems of side effects. Have other factors been taken into account? Other issues that can also result in the same symptoms? What about the simple fact that it is "normal" of the human condition to sometimes have various issues? The people that actually need help aren't getting enough, while too many people who have the slightest symptoms will qualify for the disorder and get on medication that they don't actually need (and don't forget the side effects that go along with the medications). In the introduction, the author made a point about how his peers were excited for a new release for the DSM. In their suggestions, the author himself would immediately qualify for about 5 of their "illnesses." This book makes us want to rethink the way we approach mental illness. I highly recommend this book to anyone interested in mental illness, (over)diagnoses, and treatment.
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- The Book of Woe: The DSM and the Unmaking of PsychiatryHardcover$6.99 shippingOnly 1 left in stock - order soon.
Important but also detrimental to those with mental health concerns
This book is great for the mental health/medical profession. I agree with the author on many points, especially the over prescription of drugs in the US (especially by PCP instead of psychiatrists). I think this book is a must read for people who know how to use the information for good. But it’s not for the general public!!Why? Because the target audience is mental health deniers who don’t want to accept their diagnosis. He clearly states that mental health diagnosis is the real deal, and medications can help, but the type of person who isn’t medically trained/highly educated will pick this up and use it as an excuse to deny their illness. People like my mother who has the clearest most obvious clinical case of bipolar I I have ever seen. With this book she believes her behaviors are normal and doesn’t need her life saving medication. Or the mother of an autistic child worry ADHD, who desperately needs to follow protocol and medication guidelines to ease her and her child’s suffering (the author all but denies the existence of ADHD and the “spectrum” of autism).The non medical person who needs this book is highly unlikely to pick it up. Who needs it? Any person that lost a loved one and is grieving, but has been diagnosed as “depressed” and given medication. Any person who gets nervous before speeches and their pcp prescribed them strong benzos to take daily. People who aren’t mentally ill but don’t have any knowledge of this profession so they blindly trust their doctors. That is who needs this book, but I have no faith they will ever find it.In summary: it’s a good book, and I agree with him for the most part... but it’s too easy to be used for mental health denial for me to comfortably give it 5 stars. It really should be limited to the mental health field. All Primary Care doctors and mental health workers should read.
Top reviews from other countries
- Santiago González ChávezReviewed in Mexico on August 23, 2021
Excellent book, a must-read.
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- JojoReviewed in Germany on February 20, 2017
Nice reading and soemthing to think about
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- Roger DeaconReviewed in Australia on October 13, 2017
The range of the deranged should be rearranged again
