Friday, December 31, 2010

Paging Thomas Szasz: What is Mental Illness?

MIND Reviews: What is Mental Illness? : Scientific American:
When we arrive at the final chapter, “So What Is Mental Illness Anyway?” we can only conclude that the most succinct and accurate response is, “Well, it depends.” 
In the end, that is actually McNally’s main point. Understanding mental illness requires context, and when making a diagnosis, we cannot simply tick off criteria on a checklist. We need to consider the symptoms and the causes as well as our biology, genes and culture.
No answers from me. Just an abiding curiosity about the question.

Related: The Myth of Mental Illness, by Thomas Szasz
Barely related and self-referential: Moffat's Sherlock: Psychopath or Sociopath
Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...