If you asked a psychiatrist what he thought of Thomas Szasz's work he would most probably say 'he's mad!' This in itself illustrates Szasz's argument that labels such as 'mad' are used to stigmatize people whose behaviour or thoughts offend or disturb us. According to Szasz mental illness is nothing but a 'myth' that's purpose is to disguise the bitterness of reality! Szasz suggests that collaboration between psychiatrist and the government has successfully disguised this 'social problem' and presented it as a 'medical problem', a 'disease' of the brain. How true are these claims made by Szasz? This essay will go on to explore further into the validity of this argument made by Szasz.

Many contemporary psychiatrist, physicians and scientist hold the view that some even if a very subtle, neurological defect will be found for all disorders of thinking and behaviour. All mental illnesses are an attribute to physiochemical processes. The difference they see between a mental and a physical disease is that a mental disease manifest's itself by mental symptoms.

Szasz argues, what central nervous system symptom would correspond to a skin eruption or a fracture? It would not be some emotion or complex bit of behaviour. Rather it would be blindness or paralysis of some part of the body', Szasz (1960). He suggests that there are diseases of the brain like 'Parkinson's disease' but they can not be a disease of the 'mind'.

There is some scientific evidence to show that schizophrenia is a biological disease caused by genetic factors, an imbalance of chemicals in the brain, structural brain abnormalities or abnormalities in the prenatal environment. Studies have found that children of schizophrenic parents have a high chance of developing the disorder by up to 13 per cent and those with two schizophrenic parents have a 46 per cent chance. This increased risk is found to be present even when children are adopted. Scientist suggest that excess activity of the neurotransmitter dopamine is the cause of schizophrenia. This hypothesis is supported by the effectiveness of antipsychotic drugs in reducing psychotic symptoms of schizophrenia. This drug works by blocking brain receptors for dopamine. Brain imaging techniques have also found brain abnormalities in some schizophrenics. The brain ventricles appear to be enlarged and there is a smaller volume of brain tissues in comparison to mentally healthy people.

Adoption studies have provided some evidence of a genetic role in depression. These studies show that children of depressed people are vulnerable to depression even when raised by adoptive parents, Mueser, K.T (1998), CD-Rom. A higher than normal level of hydrocortisone can be found in many depressed people. This supports the theory that depression is caused by an imbalance in hormones

Szasz is chiefly arguing that disease or illness can only affect the body and not a person beliefs and thoughts; hence there is no such thing as mental illness. What psychiatrist suggest are symptoms of mental illness are actually a person's reactions to 'problems in living'. Szasz uses the example of Andrew Goldstein and John Hinckley Jr. Both of these committed horrendous crimes, for which they pleaded 'insanity'. Can a brain disease really be the cause of these planned, complex, co-ordinated behaviours? Szasz argues that this is not possible. According to Szasz the whole concept that 'disease' of the mind are disease of the brain' is used to support the rationality in drug treatment which keeps psychiatrist employed, and to justify the demand for equal insurance coverage for mental disorders, as they be for physical disorders. Szasz uses the example of the signing of the 'Mental Health Parity Act 1996' by Pres. Clinton in the US, which ended the long-held practice of providing less insurance coverage for mental illness than is provided for physical disorders. Szasz states that this shows the influence such ideas have on society and further promotes the concept that mental illness is a disease of the brain hence a 'medical condition'.
Join now!


Critics argue that medicine is and has never been concerned with known bodily etiology. The mission of medicine is to care for those within society who are suffering. It is argued that szasz exaggerates the difference between mental and physical illness. Ausubel (1962) claims there are commonalities between diagnosis of certain physical and mental symptoms, Guitheil, G.T (2002) On-Line. Also szasz ignores that psychiatrist do not us the term 'disease'. They use the term 'disorder', which addresses their acknowledgment that conditions with no physiological proof of the underlying mechanism can not be termed as 'disease' rather they are ...

This is a preview of the whole essay