Pathological

The True Story of Six Misdiagnoses

By: Sarah Fay

Narrated by: Gabra Zackman

AN APPLE BOOKS PICK OF THE MONTH

“Masterfully written, distinctively researched, deeply humane . . . Genius.”—ANTHONY SWOFFORD, author of Jarhead

“A major contribution . . . A necessary book.”—JOHANN HARI, author of Lost Connections

“This book is a triumph of the spirit and the flesh.”—ELIZA GRISWOLD, Pulitzer Prize–winning author of Amity and Prosperity

In this stunning debut—both a memoir and a work of investigative journalism—writer Sarah Fay explores the ways we pathologize human experiences.

Over thirty years, doctors diagnosed Sarah Fay with six different mental illnesses—anorexia, major depressive disorder (MDD), anxiety disorder, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD), and bipolar disorder.

Pathological is the gripping story of what it was like to live with those diagnoses, and the crippling impact each had on her life. It is also a rigorous investigation into the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)—psychiatry’s “bible,” the manual from which all mental illness diagnoses come. Yet as Fay found out, some of our most prominent psychiatrists have been trying to warn us that the DSM is fiction sold to the public as fact.

In Pathological, former advisory editor at The Paris Review and award-winning writer Fay calls for a new conversation about mental health diagnosis, one based on rigorous transparency. With exquisite detail and a precise presentation of fact, she digs up her own life at the root to finally ask, Is a diagnosis a lifeline or a self-fulfilling prophecy?

Powerful, mesmerizing, and unputdownable, Pathological sits alongside the other brave and inspiring classics of our time that explore a more intelligent, forgiving, and nuanced approach to human suffering.

©2022 Sarah Fay (P)2022 HarperCollins Publishers

Psych PhD's opinion!

Loved it. I get how mental health professionals use the DSM as a "bible" without questioning it and dismiss patients perception. I also get how mental health professionals are overworked and sometimes make crazy decisions or don't keep up with the literature. Some need more intellectual humility and compassion. The author understands this and gives a balanced account. Her personal story makes it better because the story is her LIFE and this is what's important, not the diagnosis. I differ from other reviews that the story is scattered....that's usually how patients and pretty much everyone tells a story. This makes it more authentic. Also it helps by not making this book a textbook about the dsm.

The chapter on solitude was my favorite hands down. The extrovert world always has a negative opinion on solitude unless you're a monk.

The narration is PERFECT.

very interesting

I appreciated all the information as well as the personal experience of the author.

Really wild ride

I was curious about this book because of the mental health issues that have troubled my niece for years. In the case of the author, I wonder why she wound up going down the path of drug treatment by psychiatrists and medical doctors rather than a more talk based treatment by psychologists. I would want to exhaust all the talk and behavior therapy options with a drug free and clean mind first before I resorted to therapy that used mind altering drugs and the side effects. The book was very insightful.

Incisive and fascinating

Though I don’t agree with every point the author makes about diagnoses (since my ADHD med has precluded the need for any other meds) I appreciate her exploration of the lack of validity of the DSM versions. There is a lot of work to be done in this area.

The story was well told. I especially appreciate the author’s willingness to disclose this journey despite the threat of stigma.

Excelente historia

Creo que la historia se extendió más que lo que debería, sin embargo es un excelente libro. Me abrió los ojos acerca de la medicina en el mundo de la psiquatría. Es impresionante y triste saber que el estado actual de ese sistema es tan deficiente y con bases tan mal estructuradas.

Sarah pasó de ser una persona que creía en todo lo que sus médicos decían, a cuestionarse e investigar, que es algo que todos deberíamos aprender a hacer. Sin embargo, considero que aún faltó más información científica en el libro,

En general me gustó y sí lo recomiendo ya que no estamos excentos a estar en este tipo de situaciones, y es mejor conocer cómo funciona esta línea de la medicina.

Thank you

Thank you for sharing your story and breaking the stigma! Will have to learn punctuation another time :)

good book leaving me furious

if you're "bipolar" think again and READ this and try not to kill your "Dr"
wow!

Love it

Well written. The story cautivated me.
An inside view on how little we know about mental illnesses and how the "business" focus of the pharmaceutical industry don't help. Everytime there is more and more medication prescription without learning more about the root cause and other solutions.

Balanced perspective

As one who has seen the unscientific assignment of symptoms into categories that every person could fall into, I found Pathological a great book. Psychiatry and psychology are important fields. The DSM has a beneficial purpose. But as is true for most things, it is also a tool that has been used for much gain.

I truly appreciated the journey of Sarah And her openness about the problems with the DSM.

Hopefully, this book will help people make informed decisions about their mental health. Highly recommend

Shattering and important

Carefully researched and cleverly structured. The trope of exploring the history of punctuation adds a lyrical dimension. This book is a gut punch to the pathologizing mental health complex. If I were the DSM, I’d make sure my résumé was up to date. One of those books that turns the lights on! I’ll