Inadequacy of psychiatry

The lack of evidence for efficacy despite considerable research, the real possibility of harm, and the high cost all make long-term dynamic psychotherapy unlikely to be a preferred option of any health service. Such therapy in which patients explore past and present relationships with therapists has been shown by research to be no better than routine clinical care, is more expensive and can carry greater risks. It is no more effective in helping people recover from depression or solve problems than an occasional chat with a doctor or advice from a friend.

Professional psychologists and psychiatrists do not in fact make more accurate clinical judgements than lay persons about the sanity or propensity toward violence of criminal suspects on trial. In both prediction and diagnosis lay people are as accurate as clinicians. In court cases their testimony is treated as fact. Their opinions are sought by news people, writers, governments, entertainers, courts and the public at the expense of personal judgement.

A study of the American Psychiatric Association found that physicians with affective disorders tend to select psychiatry as a specialty. Disfunctional, abusive and alcoholic family backgrounds were also more prevalent among mental health professionals than other health workers.