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Dan Carlat, in addition to practicing psychiatry, writing his popular newsletter and blog, editing a series of psychiatry books for Lippincott/Klowers (one of which I co-authored) and writing monthly blogs for Psychiatric Times has periodically (as do I) written exposé pieces about psychiatry for the N.Y. Times and other widely circulated publications. He has spoken out about the influence of the pharmaceutical industry on the practice of psychiatry and particularly the large amount of money earned by psychiatrists from the drug companies, often without disclosures. This latter point has been considered to have ethical and legal ramifications. Knowing this background, I eagerly approached the opportunity to review his new book, Unhinged: The Trouble with Psychiatry—A Doctor's Revelations about a Profession in Crisis.
Early in the book, Dr. Carlat shared his own experience as a practicing psychiatrist where he specialized in prescribing medications and referred patients in need of talk therapy to a “psychotherapist.” He expressed his view “that most people are under the misconception that an appointment with a psychiatrist will involve counseling, probing questions and digging into the psychological meaning of one's distress.” He goes on