The Invisible Plague: The Rise of mental Illness from 1750 to the Present

by E. Fuller Torrey, Judy Miller

The prevalence of insanity, which was once considerably less than one case per 1,000 total population, has risen beyond five cases in 1,000. Why has mental illness reached epidemic proportions? What are the causes of severe mental illness? Why do we continue to deny the rising numbers, and how does this denial affect our ability to help those who are afflicted?

In The Invisible Plague , E. Fuller Torrey and Judy Miller examine the records on insanity in England, Ireland, Canada, and the United States over a 250-year period, concluding, through both qualitative and quantitative evidence, that disorders like schizophrenia and bipolar illness are an unrecognized, modern-day plague. This book is a unique and major contribution to medical history. Until now, insanity, and its apparent rise over the centuries, has been interpreted as a socially and economically driven phenomenon. Torrey and Miller insist upon the biological reality of psychiatric disease and examine the reasons why its contemporary prevalence has been so profoundly misunderstood.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction, Mental Health, History, Historical, Medicine, Medical

416 pages, Hardcover

First published December 1, 2001

Reviews

[Ryan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Its been awhile, but this was a good imbued with plenty of solid quantitative research. The author examines data from three centuries regarding the per capita instance of insanity and links the rise of insanity to the rise of industrialization and urbanization. There is no true agenda by the author versus Foucault's post modern perspective on madness, and even if you don't agree with the hypothesis, the history and data are worth a read.

[A.P. Dannenfeldt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is, at the least, quite useful as a history of the modern social response to insanity and the gist of professional understanding - and lay opinion - of the matter across different time periods. Torrey and Miller are particularly good at dissecting and countering with logic and studies ideas put out by a number of once-popular and influential thinkers on mental illness and the social response to it (Michele Foucault, Thomas Szasz, Irving Goffman, and others). Chapter topics progress through time but transition between geographic locus to provide an historical survey on England, Ireland, Canada, and the U.S. Of particular interest is coverage of reformers, their social movements, and the motives and process of deinstitutionalization. A summary of theories of causal agents in serious mental illness near the end of the book is also stimulating. While the authors are candid about conclusive data being unavailable, they make a plausible case that serious mental illness has become more prevalent over the past centuries. Of course, I will have to read much more, and widely, to be convinced of this given all the well-known indicators of human life improving on many metrics (see, e.g., the relevant works by the economists Julian Simon and Thomas Sowell, and psychologist Steven Pinker). I plan to also read E.F. Torrey's books 'American Psychosis' and 'The Insanity Offense', both on the topic of treating the seriously mentally ill. Recommended.

[Scott Pearson · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book, written in part by a psychiatrist with expert knowledge of schizophrenia, addresses the question of why mental illness has become increasingly pervasive since 1750. Starting with this date and proceeding towards the present, Torrey and Miller make a commanding case that the prevalence of mental illness has increased steadily since the age of Enlightenment, at least in English-speaking countries. The argument is forceful.

They argue against the common argument - pushed forward by many in prominence like Michel Foucault - that the diagnosis of insanity/psychosis is merely a way of pushing away societal nonconformists into asylums. The finding of MRI changes in those with bipolar disorder or schizophrenia, for one, argues for some kind of biology of disease, not merely a sociology. Further, the contention that genetics provides a key does not answer the question: What in modernity has led to the spread of mental diseases? Why did we not see this prior to 1750?

The authors propose a wide variety of possible (but unconfirmed) causes, all centered around the hypothesis that urbanization plays a key role. This case is well-argued and deserves attention and research.

[John · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a good read on mental healthcare in the United States. It also discusses Europe.

The authors cover a great deal of data from the 1700s up to the 20th century. Unfortunately, and shockingly, the US and other countries do not collect comprehensive data on the severely mentally ill that is current. So the data ends in the 1950s. (Dr. Torrey is affiliated currently with the Treatment Advocacy Center which advocates for mental health reform and other research issues pertaining to mental illnesses).

I am not an expert in the field but have an interest in asylums and how they were used to treat those with the most severe illnesses. The authors comment on this and discuss "de-institutionalization" since the 1950s in the US.

Torrey and Miller also discuss the potential causes of mental illness (ranging from infectious disease to genetics).

Overall, this is a very good (if niche) book on mental healthcare history and current trends in treatment.

[Julia Deziel · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was a bit disappointing. I felt like the argument became more and more redundant as it continued, with a lot of repetition. The timeline was confusing, detailed, and yet not exhaustive. The thesis of the book was not really honed in on until the last chapter, where the points were scantily and briefly breezed over.

[Kevin Black · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am still skeptical, but wow! this book has a lot of really great anecdotes. My favorite: In May, 1828, the South Carolina Lunatic Asylum opened. "Not a single patient was admitted for the first seven months, despite articles praising it and advertisements for patients in newspapers in Charleston and Columbia" (p. 210). The South Carolina state population was over half a million in 1818. By contrast, in modern St. Louis City we have under ½ million residents, but I'm sure we could fill the place in a few weeks.

[Kelly Mayfield · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very informative, but so sad. I didn't know that back in the late 1800s and early 1900s that asylums were actually popular tourist attractions. People would buy tickets to go on a tour to see all of the "crazies." How incredibly humane and ignorant human beings can be at times. But a worthwhile read for anyone who has an interest in the subject and is concerned about the alarming increase of mental illness/disorders we are experiencing.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really probably 3.5 stars, but I can't do .5. It is an older book, so the "present" is 2001 with most if the monetary references being to 1997 dollars. But that doesn't change the historical info. It's a little heavy on the statistics, so it is a bit dry in places. But reading about how insanity translates into the popular culture and literature if the day was interesting.

[Tony romo]

want to learn more about mental illness is it a true book? thanks tony-t at a1ail@comcast.net

[Sally · Rating 1 out of 5]

I found this book unconvincing.