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BOOK REVIEWS Doctoring the Mind: Is Our Current funded primarily by Big Pharma. Tak- Treatment of Mental Illness Really Any Good? ing aim at child psychiatrists, he by Richard P. Bentall; New York, New York writes that “the long-term impact that University Press, 2009, 384 pages, $29.95 [psychotropic] drugs have on the de- veloping brain—as yet unknown— Curtis Adams, M.D. seems not to trouble the doctors who Ann Hackman, M.D. prescribe them.” As is often the case in his book, he cites no source for this here are some good things about the former profession are educated claim. He continues to deride child Tthis book. It is competently writ- and trained to understand people and psychiatrists, stating, “My impression ten and quite readable. The text is the human experience and to provide is that [medications] are often pre- eloquent in its support of a recovery- healing therapy, whereas those in the scribed without any serious attempt oriented approach. Author Richard latter are indoctrinated with the med- to understand or remedy the awful Bentall advocates for the active in- ical model, have unwittingly carried social circumstances in which psycho- volvement of mental health con- Nazi-era notions of the genetic origins logically disturbed children often sumers in their own treatment. The of psychosis into the present, and are live.” book reiterates the excellent case for intent on pumping people full of as It may be that Bentall was deliber- psychotherapy in the treatment of se- much useless, dangerous medicine as ately provocative in hopes of opening rious and persistent mental illnesses, possible while simultaneously avoiding a dialogue about topics that certainly including schizophrenia—an argu- any conversation. Furthering his argu- need to be discussed, and it would be ment recently elucidated in poignant ment that psychiatrists improperly interesting to have a conversation and articulate fashion by Elyn Saks in medicate patients, Bentall claims that with the author in an effort to glean her moving memoir, The Center Can- “It is difficult to know how many psy- more of his intent. However, he tells not Hold (1). Further, Bentall appro- chotic patients would be better off his readers at the outset that this priately underscores some of the without taking drugs, but my guess is book comes out of an earlier, more flaws in current and recent mental that the number might be as high as 50 extensive text and that Doctoring the health treatment and diagnosis. For per cent.” Mind was written to be more accessi- example, some of our diagnostic divi- Bentall also argues that the case for ble to the consumer than was the ear- sions (such as between schizophrenia a genetic cause of mental illnesses has lier book. We will not be encouraging and bipolar disorder) are less than been grossly overstated by psychia- any of the mental health care con- clear and less than evidence based. trists and that symptoms such as psy- sumers whom we serve to read this Current medications are less than chosis are much more the result of book. It would be unfortunate to take perfect, their use is fraught with side psychosocial stressors. He cynically away time from working with them effects, and effectiveness is variable. claims that those who introduced the on recovery to address fears raised by Our evidence that medications work term “schizophrenia spectrum disor- the exaggerated issues in Bentall’s is sometimes tainted by pharmaceuti- der” introduced the term to “get the book. cal company involvement in the re- [research] results they wanted.” Fur- search. And even as we move to a ther, he indicates that behavior by The reviewers report no competing interests. o more recovery-based approach, we families may make substantial contri- Reference have not eliminated the elements of butions to an individual’s develop- 1. Saks ER: The Center Cannot Hold: My coercion that have arguably added to ment of a mental illness and that the Journey Through Madness. New York, Hy- fear and stigma. National Alliance on Mental Illness is perion, 2007 Despite the helpful treatments rec- ommended and the relevant questions underscored by Bentall’s text, we would be reluctant to recommend it to anyone because we found the book to Additional Book Review Available Online be incendiary and divisive. One central premise seems to be that there is a A review of an additional book is available as an online long-standing battle for supremacy go- supplement to this month’s book review section on the ing on between psychology and psy- journal’s Web site at ps.psychiatryonline.org: chiatry. The text suggests that those in o Benjamin Crocker, M.D., reviews The Language of the Heart: A Cultural History of the Recovery Move- The reviewers are affiliated with the De- ment From Alcoholics Anonymous to Oprah Winfrey partment of Psychiatry, University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore, and work in the Community Mental Health Division. 570 PSYCHIATRIC SERVICES o ps.psychiatryonline.org o May 2011 Vol. 62 No. 5.

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