Psychiatry and Anti-Psychiatry

Psychiatry and Anti-Psychiatry by David Cooper, originally published in 1967, is presented as part of a larger five-volume series on psychiatry within The International Behavioural and Social Sciences Library. The book critiques conventional psychiatric practices, particularly regarding the diagnosis and treatment of schizophrenia, and explores the concept of "anti-psychiatry." Cooper questions the medical labeling of individuals, suggesting it often reflects societal invalidation rather than an inherent illness, and proposes alternative, non-exploitative approaches to care, emphasizing family dynamics and institutional irrationality. The work examines how psychiatry, often seen as a humane field, can contribute to the "violence" of societal invalidation against those labeled as patients.

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