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A review by oneskyolder
Crazy Like Us: The Globalization of the American Psyche by Ethan Watters
5.0
This is such a fascinating page-turner!!
In this book, journalist Ethan Watters explores the ways in which the globalization of the American psyche has influenced the conceptualization, treatments, and outcomes of people living with mental illnesses globally. He accomplishes this through case studies of anorexia in Hong Kong, PTSD in Sri Lanka, schizophrenia in Zanzibar, and depression in Japan.
As someone who majored in psychology, I'm embarrassed to admit that I'd never given that much thought about the significant role that culture plays in mental health. So once I started reading this book, I was completely hooked. The chapter on schizophrenia was my favorite; it absolutely blew my mind.
One thing I appreciate about the book is that you don't need a background in psychology to understand it, because every concept or finding is explained clearly. My only critique is that the book could have been more concise and the sub-sections in each chapter could be better organized.
All things considered, this is definitely a valuable read!
In this book, journalist Ethan Watters explores the ways in which the globalization of the American psyche has influenced the conceptualization, treatments, and outcomes of people living with mental illnesses globally. He accomplishes this through case studies of anorexia in Hong Kong, PTSD in Sri Lanka, schizophrenia in Zanzibar, and depression in Japan.
As someone who majored in psychology, I'm embarrassed to admit that I'd never given that much thought about the significant role that culture plays in mental health. So once I started reading this book, I was completely hooked. The chapter on schizophrenia was my favorite; it absolutely blew my mind.
One thing I appreciate about the book is that you don't need a background in psychology to understand it, because every concept or finding is explained clearly. My only critique is that the book could have been more concise and the sub-sections in each chapter could be better organized.
All things considered, this is definitely a valuable read!