Anatomy of an Epidemic

About “Anatomy of an Epidemic”

Robert Whitaker's Anatomy of an Epidemic explores why the number of disabled mentally ill people in the United States has tripled over two decades. Each day, 1,100 people are added to disability rolls due to mental illness, with children being affected most rapidly. The book questions whether psychiatric medications fix or create chemical imbalances in the brain. It examines long-term outcomes of mental health treatments, asking whether drugs help people recover or lead to chronic illness. Whitaker reviews studies on schizophrenia, depression, and bipolar disorder, finding that medications may increase the risk of long-term disability. He also investigates the effects of stimulants on children with ADHD. The book highlights personal stories of those impacted by the epidemic and describes programs in Europe and the U.S. that achieve better long-term results. Whitaker argues that the public has been kept from understanding the long-term effects of psychiatric treatments.