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Humanizing Madness: Psychiatry and the Cognitive Neurosciences

Niall McLaren, M.D.
Future Psychiatry Press (2008)
ISBN 9781932690392
Reviewed by Kam Aures for RebeccasReads (11/08)

Niall McLaren's main purpose in writing “Humanizing Madness:  Psychiatry and the Cognitive Neurosciences,” as stated in the Introduction, “is to show what a scientific theory of psychiatry should look like.” (p. v) He believes that all of the theories that are used in psychiatry are incorrect and reexamination is needed.  McLaren brings up an excellent point in the fact that due to the sheer number of theories in existence in the field, the less chance there is that any of them is the correct theory.  However introducing a new theory is a very daunting task, as the legitimacy from those practicing by the older theories would be questioned.  If a doctor has been basing treatment on a theory for twenty or thirty years he would be very reluctant to change course as it would not reflect well on him to admit that he had been incorrect all along.

The first section of the book is entitled “Psychiatry in Crisis:  Intellectual Failure in the Science of Mental Disorder.”  In these chapters the author explains to us that there is not a general agreement in the field on the “theoretical basis of psychiatry.”  The author takes on the major existing theories and points out each theory’s problems and why they are incorrect.  I found his analyses of the different theories were very interesting and thought provoking.

The second part of the book focuses on “The Working Mind.”  Having a theory of mind should logically come before having a theory of a disturbed mind.  McLaren presents “the outline of a model offering realistic solutions to a number of major problems.  As a general theory of psychiatry, it restores the essence of humanity, our mentalism, to rightful primacy.” (p. 158)

 In the third section, entitled “Toward the Future of Psychiatry,” McLaren examines various mental disorders such as anxiety, depression, and psychosis.  He suggests changing our understanding of these disorders in order to more effectively treat them.

“Humanizing Madness:  Psychiatry and the Cognitive Neurosciences” is an important work in the field of psychiatry.  The book has been thirty years in the making and is obviously well researched and thought-out.  The author makes very strong, intelligent arguments that, I believe, will have a large impact on the future of psychiatry. McLaren’s book would make an excellent read for a psychiatry student or for those already in the field.

    

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