Mad in America by Robert Whitaker analyzes the situation of schizophrenics in the United States, who receive worse care than patients in the poorest countries of the world. Whitaker, a medical journalist, argues that modern treatments for the seriously mentally ill are nothing more than old drugs with a new appearance, and that our society is mistakenly confident in their effectiveness. The widespread use of lobotomy in the 1920s and 1930s was replaced in the 1950s by electroshock and a series of new drugs. In his most serious revelation, Whitaker reveals that in the 1980s and 1990s pharmaceutical companies falsified their studies to prove that new antipsychotic drugs were more effective than the old ones, while hiding dangerous side effects from patients. The book, updated with a new introduction and preface incorporating the latest medical treatments and trends, raises significant questions about our obligations to the mentally ill, the meaning of "paranoia," and what we value most about the human mind.

Pages: 384, Year of Publication: 1112, Dimensions: 13.8x13.8cm