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The Time is Now

(86 posts)
13. Anybody remember Thomas Szasz?
Sat Apr 19, 2014, 10:04 AM
Apr 2014

Another golden egg of libertarianism:

Thomas Stephen Szasz 1920-2012) was a psychiatrist and academic. .... He was a well-known social critic of the moral and scientific foundations of psychiatry, and of the social control aims of medicine in modern society, as well as of scientism. His books The Myth of Mental Illness (1961) and The Manufacture of Madness (1970) set out some of the arguments with which he is most associated.

Szasz argued that mental illnesses are not real in the sense that cancers are real. Except for a few identifiable brain diseases, such as Alzheimer's disease, there are “neither biological or chemical tests nor biopsy or necropsy findings for verifying or falsifying DSM diagnoses", i.e. there are no objective methods for detecting the presence or absence of mental illness.[4]

His views on special treatment followed from libertarian roots which are based on the principles that each person has the right to bodily and mental self-ownership and the right to be free from violence from others, although he criticized the "Free World" as well as the communist states for their use of psychiatry.
[Wikipedia]

A lot of the politics that motivated deinstitutionalization cited Szasz's work. Indeed, much of it grew directly from Szasz's own advocacy, having founded the American Association for the Abolition of Involuntary Mental Hospitalization (AAAIMH) in 1970. Note that this organization and both of his books pre-dated St. Ronnie's reign. The move to deinstitutionalize was well ensconced before 1980. On the other hand, there were clearly abuses in mental facilities during that time, which first gained public airing by, hold for it, Geraldo Rivera when we worked for the local New York City ABC News outlet, and did an exposé on Willoughbrook on Staten Island.

None of which ought to be to be construed as an apology for the most destructive presidency of the 20th century, Harding's and Hoover's notwithstanding.
I will never understand how so many people fell for Reagan's act Skittles Apr 2014 #1
Making veiled racism fashionable worked wonders. HughBeaumont Apr 2014 #4
worst part is Skittles Apr 2014 #15
He appealed to older white Americans who pined for their uncomplicated lives and teens because he Boomerproud Apr 2014 #21
I agree. Here's where the mentally disabled are being housed now.... Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #24
And if you're depressed and have no addictions to drugs or alcohol, they have no groups for you Manifestor_of_Light Apr 2014 #2
Very true. LuvNewcastle Apr 2014 #8
I don't know how things pipi_k Apr 2014 #12
Hmm. Must be miserably bad programs. Here's where the mentally disabled is being treated now Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #26
I think some of this started before Reagan but, yes, he did his share. Sognefjord Apr 2014 #3
The roots of deinstitutionalization (aka community-based out-patient treatment) are pre-WW2 HereSince1628 Apr 2014 #7
Thank you! loyalsister Apr 2014 #22
Anybody remember Thomas Szasz? The Time is Now Apr 2014 #13
Geraldo on Willowbrook was 1970...Wiseman's doc on Bridgewater (Titticut Follies) was 1967 HereSince1628 Apr 2014 #18
Thank you for posting this. I had never heard of him. nt Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #27
There has been an incredible increase in "mental illness-related" calls to police, not pampango Apr 2014 #5
Mentally ill are no more violent than the rest of the population (5%)... Mondavi Apr 2014 #6
Medicine is heading in a highly customizable direction and it is sorely needed for medicine for liberal_at_heart Apr 2014 #19
The original HBP medicine.... Mondavi Apr 2014 #25
well of course it would be better if the profits were taken out of it. I'm just saying that liberal_at_heart Apr 2014 #30
Don't think people are bashing medications.... Mondavi Apr 2014 #37
I need to say auntsue Apr 2014 #41
Unfortunately, Big Pharma continues to profit from addictive drugs.... Mondavi Apr 2014 #47
Untreated mentally ill are dangerous. There are groups such as Scientology, who are against Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #29
There are people in our Pentagon, Military, Corporations who are deranged.... Mondavi Apr 2014 #48
This is a different topic. nt Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #50
When you talk about "dangerous" people, it is the same topic... Mondavi Apr 2014 #51
Thanks to St. Ronnie and his acolytes prison is the new mental health system. raouldukelives Apr 2014 #9
It's a sad truth, but... pipi_k Apr 2014 #14
One very obvious answer is universal health care ... Mondavi Apr 2014 #28
The answer for some is institutionalization. Not like that in the Middle Ages, but one in which Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #31
The Answer RobinA Apr 2014 #40
What incredible increase? The overall crime rate has been decreasing for the past 20 years. Spider Jerusalem Apr 2014 #10
There is still the 800 pound gorilla in the room: white collar crime. Initech Apr 2014 #17
Here's the difference... Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #33
Reagan was the worst President ever, but US crime rates have been falling Bluenorthwest Apr 2014 #11
Would we even be able to institutionalize now? Lonusca Apr 2014 #16
We need better access to psychiatrists, psychologists and medicines, not institutionalization. liberal_at_heart Apr 2014 #20
Reagan sucked but he was not responsible Progressive dog Apr 2014 #23
Reagan sucked, but "incredible increase in crime?" Links? Eleanors38 Apr 2014 #32
Here's where the mentally ill with no care end up because they commit crimes and end up in prison... Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #34
So it not really an overall increase in crime but rather an increase of mentally ill in prisons. Nt hack89 Apr 2014 #45
The mentally ill who require others to care for them Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #46
It would be interesting to know what the "crimes" are actually.... Mondavi Apr 2014 #49
Mental illness needs to be treated but many families are not able to afford Thinkingabout Apr 2014 #35
In most communities there are very few options for mentally ill adults etherealtruth Apr 2014 #36
Time to "tear down" the Reagan myth. JEFF9K Apr 2014 #38
Here ya go! Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #39
At the library used-book sale ... JEFF9K Apr 2014 #43
Wow, I just looked that up on Amazon, and I'm going to order it. Thank you! It should be Sarah Ibarruri Apr 2014 #44
Yes, Reagan cut fed funding to mental hospitals.... HooptieWagon Apr 2014 #42
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