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Mind Fixers

Psychiatry's Troubled Search for the Biology of Mental Illness

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The story of the unfulfilled quest to find the biological basis of mental illness, and its profound effects on patients, families, and American society.

In the 1980s, American psychiatry announced that it was time to toss aside Freudian ideas of mental disorder because the true path to understanding and treating mental illness lay in brain science, biochemistry, and drugs. This sudden call to revolution, however, was not driven by any scientific breakthroughs. Nor was it as unprecedented as it seemed. Why had previous efforts stalled? Was this latest call really any different?

In Mind Fixers, Anne Harrington offers the first comprehensive history of the troubled search for the biological basis of mental illness. She makes clear that this story is not just about laboratories and clinical trials, but also momentous public policies, acrid professional rivalries, cultural upheavals, grassroots activism, and profit-mongering. Harrington traces a consistent thread of over-promising and frustrated hopes. Above all, she helps us understand why psychiatry’s biological program is in crisis today, and what needs to happen next.

©2019 by Anne Harrington. (P)2019 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Mental Health Psychology Psychology & Mental Health Health
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Great read on the developments within the field of psychiatry. I really appreciated the ties to the historic context and personal views and experiences shared.

fascinating overview

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A great book for anyone learning/ discovering psychology for the first time and a great re-cap of what the history of psychology was.

Greatly informative

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Comprehensive and very fair history of psychiatry. Much less gung-ho than 'Shrinks' and better for it.

Best history of psychiatry there is

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Great overview but also enough detail along the way. I was always skeptical of many mental illness treatments but I really only knew a fraction of the story. Hopefully the profession can reform and gain some credibility.

Great overview of the history of psychiatry

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Mind Fixers offers a compelling historical perspective on the development of psychiatry and mental health treatments. The book delves into the evolution of mental health care, shedding light on the complex interplay between scientific advancements, societal changes, and economic interests. One particularly enlightening aspect is the exploration of the business side of mental health, revealing, for instance, how prisons have become the largest providers of mental health services in the United States.However, the reading experience could be improved. The narrative tends to be somewhat monotonic, lacking the diversity needed to fully engage the reader throughout. This affects the overall reading experience, which could be more dynamic and varied.Despite this, the content is excellent, providing in-depth insights and valuable knowledge about the field of psychiatry. While the reading experience warrants a slight deduction in rating, Mind Fixers is still highly recommended for anyone interested in understanding the historical and business aspects of mental health care.

A compelling historical perspective

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