Creating Mental Illness by Allan V. Horwitz
An incisive critique of how modern psychiatry and society have constructed many categories of mental disorder, tracing historical changes in diagnosis and emphasizing the roles of social, political, and institutional forces in defining and expanding mental illness. Using case studies and analysis of professional practices, the work argues that diagnostic categories are shaped by cultural values, power dynamics, and the interests of clinicians, insurers, and pharmaceutical companies rather than purely by objective disease entities. It explores the consequences of medicalization—stigma, overdiagnosis, and the diversion of attention from social determinants like poverty and social adversity—and calls for more context-sensitive, socially informed approaches to emotional distress.
- Published
- Unknown
- Nationality
- American
- Length
- Unknown
- Pages
- Unknown
- Original Language
- English
- Avg User Rating
- No ratings yet
- Alternate Titles
- None
This book is not currently on any lists.