Scott reviews 'Mount Misery' by Samuel Shem, a critique of psychiatric practices that emphasizes the importance of human connection in treatment.
Longer summary
Scott reviews Samuel Shem's book 'Mount Misery', a sequel to 'House of God', which follows Dr. Roy Basch's psychiatric residency at Mount Misery hospital. The book critiques psychiatric practices, especially psychoanalysis, portraying most treatments as harmful and dehumanizing. It contrasts these with more humanistic approaches, praising Alcoholics Anonymous for its emphasis on human connection. Scott discusses the book's themes of narcissism in psychiatry, the potential harm of psychoanalysis, and the importance of genuine human connection in treatment, while also noting some limitations in Shem's proposed solutions.
Shorter summary