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In this astonishing and startling book, award-winning science and history writer Robert Whitaker investigates a medical mystery: Why has the number of disabled mentally ill in the United States tripled over the past two decades? Every day, 1,100 adults and children are added to the government disability rolls because they have become newly disabled by mental illness, with this epidemic spreading most rapidly among our nation’s children. What is going on?
Anatomy of an Epidemic challenges readers to think through that question themselves. First, Whitaker investigates what is known today about the biological causes of mental disorders. Do psychiatric medications fix “chemical imbalances” in the brain, or do they, in fact, create them? Researchers spent decades studying that question, and by the late 1980s, they had their answer. Readers will be startled—and dismayed—to discover what was reported in the scientific journals.
Then comes the scientific query at the heart of this book: During the past fifty years, when investigators looked at how psychiatric drugs affected long-term outcomes, what did they find? Did they discover that the drugs help people stay well? Function better? Enjoy good physical health? Or did they find that these medications, for some paradoxical reason, increase the likelihood that people will become chronically ill, less able to function well, more prone to physical illness?
This is the first book to look at the merits of psychiatric medications through the prism of long-term results. Are long-term recovery rates higher for medicated or unmedicated schizophrenia patients? Does taking an antidepressant decrease or increase the risk that a depressed person will become disabled by the disorder? Do bipolar patients fare better today than they did forty years ago, or much worse? When the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) studied the long-term outcomes of children with ADHD, did they determine that stimulants provide any benefit?
By the end of this review of the outcomes literature, readers are certain to have a haunting question of their own: Why have the results from these long-term studies—all of which point to the same startling conclusion—been kept from the public?
In this compelling history, Whitaker also tells the personal stories of children and adults swept up in this epidemic. Finally, he reports on innovative programs of psychiatric care in Europe and the United States that are producing good long-term outcomes. Our nation has been hit by an epidemic of disabling mental illness, and yet, as Anatomy of an Epidemic reveals, the medical blueprints for curbing that epidemic have already been drawn up.
From the Hardcover edition.
Anatomy of an Epidemic challenges readers to think through that question themselves. First, Whitaker investigates what is known today about the biological causes of mental disorders. Do psychiatric medications fix “chemical imbalances” in the brain, or do they, in fact, create them? Researchers spent decades studying that question, and by the late 1980s, they had their answer. Readers will be startled—and dismayed—to discover what was reported in the scientific journals.
Then comes the scientific query at the heart of this book: During the past fifty years, when investigators looked at how psychiatric drugs affected long-term outcomes, what did they find? Did they discover that the drugs help people stay well? Function better? Enjoy good physical health? Or did they find that these medications, for some paradoxical reason, increase the likelihood that people will become chronically ill, less able to function well, more prone to physical illness?
This is the first book to look at the merits of psychiatric medications through the prism of long-term results. Are long-term recovery rates higher for medicated or unmedicated schizophrenia patients? Does taking an antidepressant decrease or increase the risk that a depressed person will become disabled by the disorder? Do bipolar patients fare better today than they did forty years ago, or much worse? When the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) studied the long-term outcomes of children with ADHD, did they determine that stimulants provide any benefit?
By the end of this review of the outcomes literature, readers are certain to have a haunting question of their own: Why have the results from these long-term studies—all of which point to the same startling conclusion—been kept from the public?
In this compelling history, Whitaker also tells the personal stories of children and adults swept up in this epidemic. Finally, he reports on innovative programs of psychiatric care in Europe and the United States that are producing good long-term outcomes. Our nation has been hit by an epidemic of disabling mental illness, and yet, as Anatomy of an Epidemic reveals, the medical blueprints for curbing that epidemic have already been drawn up.
From the Hardcover edition.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
4 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Anatomy of an Epidemic is excellent. It is the best book of this type I have read. It confirms what many of us have believed about psychiatric drugs for a long time. I have been recommending this book to my students. Even for people who firmly believe the information supplied by drug companies this is still a must read book in order to understand the views of millions who have taken the drugs, experienced worsening symptoms and bad side-effects.
Prior to this book I found it difficult to explain why drugs that have never been shown to be beneficial are continuing to be prescribed. This book has made my life easier. I only need to say that the facts are explained in Anatomy of an Epidemic.
Robert Whitaker's style is excellent. It is a subject that can seem daunting yet he takes you on a journey from the first `energisers' of the 1950's to the more recent chemicals, which turn out to be surprisingly similar in action to the earliest ones.
One effect of the book is that I find I am now increasing being asked questions about coming off psychiatric medication. It makes sense to ask. Stopping quickly is almost always a bad idea, whereas finding a doctor you can work with is an excellent idea and then working with that doctor to find ways towards lower safer doses usually improves what you can achieve.
Mood Mapping: Plot your way to emotional health and happiness
Prior to this book I found it difficult to explain why drugs that have never been shown to be beneficial are continuing to be prescribed. This book has made my life easier. I only need to say that the facts are explained in Anatomy of an Epidemic.
Robert Whitaker's style is excellent. It is a subject that can seem daunting yet he takes you on a journey from the first `energisers' of the 1950's to the more recent chemicals, which turn out to be surprisingly similar in action to the earliest ones.
One effect of the book is that I find I am now increasing being asked questions about coming off psychiatric medication. It makes sense to ask. Stopping quickly is almost always a bad idea, whereas finding a doctor you can work with is an excellent idea and then working with that doctor to find ways towards lower safer doses usually improves what you can achieve.
Mood Mapping: Plot your way to emotional health and happiness
14 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
I have been involved with neurofeedback for 13 years because a member in my family wanted off of ritalin(thank goodness) Since that time of course I have been doing a lot reading and learning about medication and this book substantiated my feelings, opinion and my horror. Actually at times I felt angered and betrayed by the system. My brother was diagnosed with schizophrenia and comited suicide about 8 years ago. I look back and remember his life of a cocktail of medications off and on. He had a horrible life. I now realize that this was not neccessary. In my own family the family member was on ritlain for 10 years and again not neccessary. I myself was diagnolsed with diabetes prescribed medication and what a ride that was. And that was not neccessary. All I had to do was go on a diet, which I did and I am healthy.
An amazing story on how this indutry marketed the medications. How our society has a blind faith in drugs that do not work. But alas the industry is not totally at fault as the consumers were looking for the magic bullets. Even more so now.
Gosh, I am even a little concerend about writing this recommendation. Am I going to be branded a Scientologist because I have an opposing perspective?
An amazing story on how this indutry marketed the medications. How our society has a blind faith in drugs that do not work. But alas the industry is not totally at fault as the consumers were looking for the magic bullets. Even more so now.
Gosh, I am even a little concerend about writing this recommendation. Am I going to be branded a Scientologist because I have an opposing perspective?
12 of 14 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
I enjoyed his earlier book 'madness in America' this is equally good.There has been quite a few books on psychiatric medication recently but this one does bring a lot of evidence together.He looks at the amazing increases in diagnosis of mental illness over the last 20 years.He examines the usual reasons identified such as changes in diagnosis,societies changes,BIG PHARMA and medication. He is quite convincing that psychiatric medication,like all psycho active drugs seems to make changes to the brain long term which may result in future relapses.These relapses appear to be more severe and more frequent.He is especially concerned about psychiatric drug use in the young,considering the debate about cannabis causing psychosis in young people,giving them amphetamines does seem questionable.He does not argue that medication is not useful at all but thinks the dosages and length of time on them maybe creating problems for the future. The alternative of safe supported rehab care for people he acknowledges would be expensive and time consuming but may over a persons life time be cheaper than the revolving relapse door and wasted lives. It of course applies equally to any modern Western country as we have all imported America's psychiatric culture.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Considered, balanced and factual - also a good read...
This book uses research into psychiatric medication to explode the myth that has been jointly created by pharmacutical companies, psychiatrists, politicians and an all to willing... Read more
Published 2 months ago by Music Maven
If your interested in mental health you have to read this.
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Published 24 months ago by Rossa Forbes
This book is very important
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Published on 16 May 2010 by T. Shaw
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