Mark reviewed Saving Normal by Allen Frances
His predictions 10 years ago have come true in a devastating way
4 stars
From the chair of the DSM-IV task force comes a searing indictment of its successor, the DSM-5. Frances explains what went wrong during the evolution of the DSM, and how big Pharma has abused its relationship to the APA, made no progress at all in developing more effective psychiatric medications, manufactured and then aggressively promoted fad illnesses with useless and sometimes harmful treatment advice, and funded both the AMA and many academic and clinical psychiatrists. Also how most psychiatric diagnoses and meds are now dispensed by primary care doctors with no psychiatric qualifications. He predicted the astonishing explosion in (mis)diagnosis of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder — to the point where the majority of American children and adults qualify for one or more psychiatric disorders. The world hasn’t suddenly gone mad — the APA, drug companies, insurance companies, and complicit practitioners have moved the goalposts …
From the chair of the DSM-IV task force comes a searing indictment of its successor, the DSM-5. Frances explains what went wrong during the evolution of the DSM, and how big Pharma has abused its relationship to the APA, made no progress at all in developing more effective psychiatric medications, manufactured and then aggressively promoted fad illnesses with useless and sometimes harmful treatment advice, and funded both the AMA and many academic and clinical psychiatrists. Also how most psychiatric diagnoses and meds are now dispensed by primary care doctors with no psychiatric qualifications. He predicted the astonishing explosion in (mis)diagnosis of ADHD, autism spectrum disorder, major depressive disorder, and bipolar disorder — to the point where the majority of American children and adults qualify for one or more psychiatric disorders. The world hasn’t suddenly gone mad — the APA, drug companies, insurance companies, and complicit practitioners have moved the goalposts so much that the worried well are now treated ill, while those who most desperately need psychiatric treatment are increasingly unable to access it (because they’re not considered worth treating). A shocking but true chronicle.