by Thomas Szasz
Szasz correctly examines the true nature of the terminology used in defining "mental illness" and "mental disorders", and he very clearly shows how these terms are vague, inexact, and largely mythical in nature. "Mental Illness" does not in any way correspond to a physical condition or ailment as does any typical physical disease treated by modern medicine. Following this reasoning, problems in living have little to do with medicine and instead should be dealt with by family, friends, religion, counseling, and even personal reading and self-betterment activities. Critical acclaim for Insanity... "...will confirm and delight general readers, especially those with a critical eye for current psychiatric positions." - Choice "Szasz is a brilliant debater.... He can turn a topic as somber as insanity and its social context into a book that is extraordinarily entertaining. He is as likely to quote Shakespeare or Moliere as Freud and Jung, and when it suits him, he quotes Ann Landers and Dear Abby, too. His irreverence and moral outrage fairly sizzle on the page." - The New York Times Book Review 'The questions he raises are critical ones for those in the medical, legal, and religious communities to consider." - The Christian Century "Arguably Szasz has had more impact on the actual practice of psychiatry in this country than anyone since Freud " -The Journal of Psychiatry & Law "If people read nothing else about psychiatry in their lives, they should read this book. If you have a flexible mind, it will never be the same again - Freedom "This book is Szasz at his best - refreshing, convincing, entertaining, and insightful." - Deviant Behavior THOMAS SZASZ, M.D., is considered a brilliant revolutionary thinker by some - a dangerous renegade by others. In either case, the author of The Manufacture of Madness, Schizophrenia: The Sacred Symbol of Psychiatry, and Sex by Prescription is one of the most important writers in present-day psychiatry.
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