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alexisrt's review
4.0
What does it mean to be clinically depressed? Or bipolar? Or have a personality disorder? The DSM, now in its fifth edition, tries to answer that question. If we want to help the mentally ill, we have to decide who they are--and make a stab at deciding what they have.
Without clear biological markers, however, we're left with subjective criteria, and the process for determining those criteria isn't clear.
Greenberg is a strong critic of the APA and the process that has led to the DSM-5. As he argues, by naming a disorder and its symptoms, we make it real. In 1994, we created kids with Asperger Syndrome; in 2013, we took it away from them. The book is strongest when discussing the processes within the APA and the defects of certain diagnoses that were added or subtracted due to the feelings of advocates, be they patients or doctors.
The weak link of the book is that, as Greenberg himself acknowledges, we don't have a better alternative than the DSM. While neuroscience holds some promise, it will likely not explain all forms of mental suffering. As he is a psychotherapist, I expected (and got) some bias against the psychopharmacological model that's grown amongst psychiatrists, and his distaste for the DSM in his everyday work is also apparent (though this is far from unique in my experience).
The book made me think critically about the process of diagnosis and the way we seek labels to explain or define our behavior, even when they have little practical meaning. In daily life, sometimes a Potter Stewart definition is all you need. But it left me wondering about what should come next. Greenberg doesn't have a better answer than the people he criticizes--and maybe that's not all bad.
Without clear biological markers, however, we're left with subjective criteria, and the process for determining those criteria isn't clear.
Greenberg is a strong critic of the APA and the process that has led to the DSM-5. As he argues, by naming a disorder and its symptoms, we make it real. In 1994, we created kids with Asperger Syndrome; in 2013, we took it away from them. The book is strongest when discussing the processes within the APA and the defects of certain diagnoses that were added or subtracted due to the feelings of advocates, be they patients or doctors.
The weak link of the book is that, as Greenberg himself acknowledges, we don't have a better alternative than the DSM. While neuroscience holds some promise, it will likely not explain all forms of mental suffering. As he is a psychotherapist, I expected (and got) some bias against the psychopharmacological model that's grown amongst psychiatrists, and his distaste for the DSM in his everyday work is also apparent (though this is far from unique in my experience).
The book made me think critically about the process of diagnosis and the way we seek labels to explain or define our behavior, even when they have little practical meaning. In daily life, sometimes a Potter Stewart definition is all you need. But it left me wondering about what should come next. Greenberg doesn't have a better answer than the people he criticizes--and maybe that's not all bad.
in2reading's review
3.0
I gave this book a 3 because it has some important ideas about psychiatry, labels (their benefits and the harm they can do), the use of pills for treatment and the significance of the DSM. Unfortunately, the good stuff is sandwiched within a lot of sarcastic and mean spirited prose. I hope some meaningful discussions about the DSM and psychiatry are sparked by this book but I fear its vitriolic tone will hamper civil discourse.
museofpvd's review
5.0
An excellent, well-thought-out, well-researched exploration of the development of the DSM-5 and the present state of the field of psychiatry. Whether you are a mental health professional or a patient, this book deserves your careful perusal.
veleda_k's review
2.0
I simply couldn't finish this. Greenberg's ax-grinding and bitterness cast a shadow over even the interesting parts of the history. Psychiatry as a field has its multitude of issues, but the fact that science and medicine are subject to our biases, assumptions, and prejudices is just as true in other other branch of science or medicine. (And if Greenberg wants to bring up Drapetomania, I could meet him with the Tuskegee Syphilis Study or raise him with the entire field of eugenics.) What's more, not being clear why or exactly how a disease manifests, or being able to only treat symptoms isn't unique to psychiatry either.
But people will want to believe this book. They want to believe that psychiatry is BS, and that allows them to think that mentally ill people don't really need their medication, that they just need to try to be happy, or what have you. Yay.
What a waste of time.
But people will want to believe this book. They want to believe that psychiatry is BS, and that allows them to think that mentally ill people don't really need their medication, that they just need to try to be happy, or what have you. Yay.
What a waste of time.
beththebookdragon's review
2.0
Story is fairly interesting, but not interesting enough to me to slog through the whole book.
Probably good for people in the psychotherapy/psychiatry field or related fields who need to know the kind of infighting and uncertainties surrounding the DSM and the imperfections of its diagnostic categories and descriptions.
Probably good for people in the psychotherapy/psychiatry field or related fields who need to know the kind of infighting and uncertainties surrounding the DSM and the imperfections of its diagnostic categories and descriptions.
wtimblin's review
5.0
A very enlightening and important book describing the trials and tribulations of the 'professionals' tasked with developing the DSM-5, as written by a critical outsider. Some great history on the development of the previous iterations, but predominantly focused on the authors monitoring of the progress of the DSM-5 up until publication in early 2013. A fantastic read, one which will not only make you question your beliefs about psychiatric nosology, but about the whole enterprise of classifying suffering as an illness. A must read for anyone working in mental health (particularly psychiatry), but I think that anyone with a passing interest in mental health issues would find this book a real eye opener.