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Infectious Madness: The Surprising Science of How We "Catch" Mental Illness
A groundbreaking look at the connection between germs and mental illness, and how we can protect ourselves.
Is it possible to catch autism or OCD the same way we catch the flu? Can a child's contact with cat litter lead to schizophrenia? In her eye-opening new book, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author Harriet Washington reveals that we can in fact "catch" mental illness. In INFECTIOUS MADNESS, Washington presents the new germ theory, which posits not only that many instances of Alzheimer's, OCD, and schizophrenia are caused by viruses, prions, and bacteria, but also that with antibiotics, vaccinations, and other strategies, these cases can be easily prevented or treated. Packed with cutting-edge research and tantalizing mysteries, INFECTIOUS MADNESS is rich in science, characters, and practical advice on how to protect yourself and your children from exposure to infectious threats that could sabotage your mental and physical health.
Is it possible to catch autism or OCD the same way we catch the flu? Can a child's contact with cat litter lead to schizophrenia? In her eye-opening new book, National Book Critics Circle Award-winning author Harriet Washington reveals that we can in fact "catch" mental illness. In INFECTIOUS MADNESS, Washington presents the new germ theory, which posits not only that many instances of Alzheimer's, OCD, and schizophrenia are caused by viruses, prions, and bacteria, but also that with antibiotics, vaccinations, and other strategies, these cases can be easily prevented or treated. Packed with cutting-edge research and tantalizing mysteries, INFECTIOUS MADNESS is rich in science, characters, and practical advice on how to protect yourself and your children from exposure to infectious threats that could sabotage your mental and physical health.
304 pages, Hardcover
First published September 1, 2015
About the author
Harriet A. Washington
8 books433 followersHarriet Washington is the author of Deadly Monopolies: The Shocking Corporate Takeover of Life Itself and of Medical Apartheid: The Dark History of Medical Experimentation on Black Americans from Colonial Times to the Present, which won the 2007 National Book Critics’ Circle Award and was named one of the year’s Best Books by Publishers’ Weekly. She has won many other awards for her work on medicine and ethics and has been a Research Fellow in Ethics at Harvard Medical School, a fellow at the Harvard School of Public Health, a Knight Fellow at Stanford University, a senior research scholar at the National Center for Bioethics at Tuskegee University and a Visiting Scholar at the DePaul University College of Law.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 96 reviews
October 20, 2018
Note: I don't usually give my qualifications when reviewing a book, but I feel they are relevant here. I have an undergraduate degree in Psychological Science with a major in Neuroscience, First Class Honours in Health Science (Physiology). I am currently pursuing a PhD in Neuroscience.
Infectious Madness is a fascinating book on a fascinating and relatively unknown topic, and that is what pulls it through. In all other respects, it is thoroughly average.
Infectious Madness follows the epidemiology of links between infection and mental illness. It's very light on pathophysiology and theories of biological links between the two, which was a a little disappointing. When I bought the book, I was hoping for a more in-depth discussion on how infections contribute to Mental Illness, but the vast bulk of the book was a discussion on epidemiological and population level links between the two, or discussions on combating infectious disease at the population level in general. Many of the chapters seem like they were written for a book on infectious diseases in general, with case studies involving mental health chosen at the last minute in order to allow the book to claim the flashy title 'Infectious Madness.' It often goes on tangents that are, though sympathetic, not really related. Chapters on the Pharmaceutical industry and the lack of adequate care in rural and developed countries are poor substitutes for chapters on the title topic of the book, and would be a better fit (and could be more thoroughly explored) in books of their own. At the end of the day, this A book about population health and socioeconomic influences, not about mental illness.
Infectious madness provides a compelling narrative that infectious disease and mental illness are linked, but throws the baby out with the bathwater. By striving so hard to link Infection and Mental Illness, this book downplays the contributions of other factors (Genetic, Socioeconomic, learned responses, nutritional). Naturally, the book is titled 'Infectious Madness' - so perhaps I am being too unfair in expecting the book to cover non-infectious influences on mental health? I don't think so, because all of these factors interact and it is absolutely possible to keep the focus on one while discussing the interactions and influences on the others.
The book is always careful to play lip-service to these factors, but in many places is incredibly misleading. One oft-quoted statistic in the book claims "20% of mental illness is caused by infectious disease", which sounds legitimate, but is being used in a slightly misleading way. Of course, it is impossible to pin the diagnosis of a mental illness on one factor; it would be more accurate to say 20% of diagnoses have infectious influences, or that infectious disease is an active risk factor in 20% of diagnoses, or even that 20% of diagnoses are *triggered* by infectious disease. Technically-true-but-misleading statements come up a lot in this book (Especially inconsistently presented statistics side-by-side such as the comparison of a 700% increase and a "Three-Fold Jump"), and although the main thrust and overall ideas presented are absolutely solid, these misleadingly presented tidbits do the book no favours. Overall, it doesn't seem like the author really understood the guts of the topic at hand, but was instead simply synthesising information taken from elsewhere.
Infectious madness does cover a fascinating topic, and a very important one. A broader understanding of the role that infection plays in mental illness can go along way in helping change public perception of mental illness. But, this book reads like an undergraduate essay where the author became too laser-focused on proving her point, she forgot that her point is just one factor of puzzling myriad, with copious tangents of dubious relevance, even if they are sympathetic ones.
There is a lot of good information in this book, but between the often sensationalist writing style, the lack of references for important points and the rambling tangents, it's going to take some digging to extract.
Infectious Madness is a fascinating book on a fascinating and relatively unknown topic, and that is what pulls it through. In all other respects, it is thoroughly average.
Infectious Madness follows the epidemiology of links between infection and mental illness. It's very light on pathophysiology and theories of biological links between the two, which was a a little disappointing. When I bought the book, I was hoping for a more in-depth discussion on how infections contribute to Mental Illness, but the vast bulk of the book was a discussion on epidemiological and population level links between the two, or discussions on combating infectious disease at the population level in general. Many of the chapters seem like they were written for a book on infectious diseases in general, with case studies involving mental health chosen at the last minute in order to allow the book to claim the flashy title 'Infectious Madness.' It often goes on tangents that are, though sympathetic, not really related. Chapters on the Pharmaceutical industry and the lack of adequate care in rural and developed countries are poor substitutes for chapters on the title topic of the book, and would be a better fit (and could be more thoroughly explored) in books of their own. At the end of the day, this A book about population health and socioeconomic influences, not about mental illness.
Infectious madness provides a compelling narrative that infectious disease and mental illness are linked, but throws the baby out with the bathwater. By striving so hard to link Infection and Mental Illness, this book downplays the contributions of other factors (Genetic, Socioeconomic, learned responses, nutritional). Naturally, the book is titled 'Infectious Madness' - so perhaps I am being too unfair in expecting the book to cover non-infectious influences on mental health? I don't think so, because all of these factors interact and it is absolutely possible to keep the focus on one while discussing the interactions and influences on the others.
The book is always careful to play lip-service to these factors, but in many places is incredibly misleading. One oft-quoted statistic in the book claims "20% of mental illness is caused by infectious disease", which sounds legitimate, but is being used in a slightly misleading way. Of course, it is impossible to pin the diagnosis of a mental illness on one factor; it would be more accurate to say 20% of diagnoses have infectious influences, or that infectious disease is an active risk factor in 20% of diagnoses, or even that 20% of diagnoses are *triggered* by infectious disease. Technically-true-but-misleading statements come up a lot in this book (Especially inconsistently presented statistics side-by-side such as the comparison of a 700% increase and a "Three-Fold Jump"), and although the main thrust and overall ideas presented are absolutely solid, these misleadingly presented tidbits do the book no favours. Overall, it doesn't seem like the author really understood the guts of the topic at hand, but was instead simply synthesising information taken from elsewhere.
Infectious madness does cover a fascinating topic, and a very important one. A broader understanding of the role that infection plays in mental illness can go along way in helping change public perception of mental illness. But, this book reads like an undergraduate essay where the author became too laser-focused on proving her point, she forgot that her point is just one factor of puzzling myriad, with copious tangents of dubious relevance, even if they are sympathetic ones.
There is a lot of good information in this book, but between the often sensationalist writing style, the lack of references for important points and the rambling tangents, it's going to take some digging to extract.
November 17, 2015
Picking up this book for a precise reason, which was to learn more about PANDAS. It's a condition that presents (rarely but increasing)within children. One day the 8 or 10 year old is completely normal, the next week showing progressive symptoms of hallucinatory or wildly emotive swings of fear, OCD, paranoia- generally insane scale conditions. Brain functions and perceptions definitively involved.
I've become a fan of the TV show on the Animal Planet channel called "Monsters Within US". And after viewing at least 4 cases of PANDAS or other related adult parasitic conditions, I was intrigued to learn more. This book actually covered several related fields too which I have viewed in other aspects on that show. Not retrovirus, but other agents of cell sabotage or brain function alteration through plaque building or some other physical result.
In the first half of the book I would have given it a 4 star or maybe even a 3.5 because this book is an extremely difficult read. And in the defining chapters (base beginning of this read)I would think the continuity would be lost by most casual readers. But VERY slowly I began to conceptualize the retrovirus groups. And also the autoimmune types of reactions possible to them. Be it a virus, a bacteria settling, a chemical induced alteration to function or close contact with other vectors of passing? Regardless, other causes to brain perceptions and process not genetically inherent. And mental illnesses not progressive either until other factors of infection interplay over time or at specific periods (as in the womb).
Science and especially medical survey has repeatedly been a field where the "correct" illness, pathology definition has been exact, and its treatment also imperative. For a certain period of time. And then not at all. Just as stomach ulcers ALWAYS required cream drinks, not spicy or other certain types of foods etc. THEN, and it wasn't all that long ago either. And now, those cures are laughable because the cause has been bacteria of a certain type all along and antibiotic the treatment. And let us not forget the psychological theories of over a century when every or most observed condition was the "Mother's" emotive relationship fault, or some parsing of Father neglect was the root of the illness. And its cure the remembering or the reciting of "forgotten" ire. Simplistic and also simply incorrect. Science deems "correct" within waves of vast change to description and to treatment. Sometimes treatments becoming the opposite of what was done just 30 years previously. The period where body organs were taken or imploded or altered by surgery to cure mental illness, not the less of those past journeys to improved "result".
Some arenas of mental illness are similar to diseases that attack or claim other organs in the body. SO much is unknown to why there are waves of anorexia, OCD, tic movement syndromes in certain places and over certain geographic locations. This book explains why that may be. In part, at least. It also surveys identical twin outcomes within certain vectors of contacts and placements. What is the percentage of both twins becoming anorexic or filled with OCD anxiety? This is detailed too.
What I did learn by this, is that so much is unknown to causal entities and time frames for reactions. More than is known.
And I did think of all the critters in my rural location. And the dung they leave. Raccoons everywhere.
If you are a cat person too. Because there is certainly strong evidence in study of numbers for children who have a cat in their home. Or for those who have had long term cat contact for certain specific mental conditions.
The study of retrovirus world is fascinating and one of those fields (like space)that needs far, far more analysis. There are more of them than there are insects on Earth or all suns/stars in the universe.
I've become a fan of the TV show on the Animal Planet channel called "Monsters Within US". And after viewing at least 4 cases of PANDAS or other related adult parasitic conditions, I was intrigued to learn more. This book actually covered several related fields too which I have viewed in other aspects on that show. Not retrovirus, but other agents of cell sabotage or brain function alteration through plaque building or some other physical result.
In the first half of the book I would have given it a 4 star or maybe even a 3.5 because this book is an extremely difficult read. And in the defining chapters (base beginning of this read)I would think the continuity would be lost by most casual readers. But VERY slowly I began to conceptualize the retrovirus groups. And also the autoimmune types of reactions possible to them. Be it a virus, a bacteria settling, a chemical induced alteration to function or close contact with other vectors of passing? Regardless, other causes to brain perceptions and process not genetically inherent. And mental illnesses not progressive either until other factors of infection interplay over time or at specific periods (as in the womb).
Science and especially medical survey has repeatedly been a field where the "correct" illness, pathology definition has been exact, and its treatment also imperative. For a certain period of time. And then not at all. Just as stomach ulcers ALWAYS required cream drinks, not spicy or other certain types of foods etc. THEN, and it wasn't all that long ago either. And now, those cures are laughable because the cause has been bacteria of a certain type all along and antibiotic the treatment. And let us not forget the psychological theories of over a century when every or most observed condition was the "Mother's" emotive relationship fault, or some parsing of Father neglect was the root of the illness. And its cure the remembering or the reciting of "forgotten" ire. Simplistic and also simply incorrect. Science deems "correct" within waves of vast change to description and to treatment. Sometimes treatments becoming the opposite of what was done just 30 years previously. The period where body organs were taken or imploded or altered by surgery to cure mental illness, not the less of those past journeys to improved "result".
Some arenas of mental illness are similar to diseases that attack or claim other organs in the body. SO much is unknown to why there are waves of anorexia, OCD, tic movement syndromes in certain places and over certain geographic locations. This book explains why that may be. In part, at least. It also surveys identical twin outcomes within certain vectors of contacts and placements. What is the percentage of both twins becoming anorexic or filled with OCD anxiety? This is detailed too.
What I did learn by this, is that so much is unknown to causal entities and time frames for reactions. More than is known.
And I did think of all the critters in my rural location. And the dung they leave. Raccoons everywhere.
If you are a cat person too. Because there is certainly strong evidence in study of numbers for children who have a cat in their home. Or for those who have had long term cat contact for certain specific mental conditions.
The study of retrovirus world is fascinating and one of those fields (like space)that needs far, far more analysis. There are more of them than there are insects on Earth or all suns/stars in the universe.
February 12, 2016
This may sound outrageous at first. The suggestion that mental illness, currently an epidemic in modern society, can be caused by bacteria and pathogens like a common cold is nearly unheard of.
Getting schizophrenia from a cat? Developing anorexia after getting strep throat, or even depression from bacteria in your stomach?
While it seems strange, there are some truths to be found. For example, before the discovery of penicillin curing syphilis, a large quantity of people in mental institutions were admitted for 'delusions, hallucinations, and hearing voices'. This was called psychosis and many people died from it. However, when penicillin was found to cure syphilis, the amount of these patients dropped dramatically. The conclusion? That specific form of psychosis was a late stage of syphilis, and thus, when syphilis was cured, the psychosis was as well.
In another example, cats are known carriers of zoonotic pathogens. Most people simply aren't affected by it. In 1871, England had its first cat show, and that same year, the number of people who owned house cats skyrocketed. Cats were no longer just outside animals meant to catch rats and other vermin, they became our pets. At the same time, rates of schizophrenia also skyrocketed.
Cats carry a type of bacteria that is present in many four-legged mammals, but only reproduces in felines. Most people are not affected by it, but according to some studies, it has been thought to cause sickness and, yes, even schizophrenia.
Moving ahead, untreated cases of strep throat in some children has shown sudden onslaughts of OCD and anorexia. Healthy children who, only days after their sore throats have healed, suddenly become obsessed with washing their hands or exercising. In 1998, a pediatrician named Susan Swedo laid out the theoretical paper of PANDAS, or, pediatric autoimmune neuropsychiatric disorders associated with streptococcal infections. PANDAS encompasses any sort of OCD, Tourettes, anorexia, anxiety, etc., that has appeared in children after they have sore throats/strep throat.
Most of the cases that Harriet A. Washington give us are usually highly isolated cases, and, in my opinion, very theoretical. I still have a hard time believing cats can cause schizophrenia or that gut bacteria can cause depression. It's an interesting theory, and one that should be researched more in the following years. It's rather new; Washington started gathering research in the late 1990's, and only a few other scientists and doctors have furthered the research.
There's something to be said about it, for sure. One example was the case of the flu; severe cases of the flu can cause delusions and hallucinations in the late stages. She brought up the comparison in that, if we took the knowledge of the flu away, delusions and hallucinations of that sort are most certainly a 'mental illness'. But with the flu, we see it as fairly normal and a common occurrence.
So, when do we draw the line? Between bacterial infections and infections of the mind? Or, at least in some cases, are they one and the same?
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July 19, 2016I have a longstanding interest in the biological underpinnings of mental illness and so couldn’t resist checking out Harriet Washington’s Infectious Madness: The Surprising Science of How We “Catch” Mental Illness from the library when I first learned of it earlier this month. As the title implies, the book delves into a large body of research pointing to an infectious cause behind many cases of so-called mental illnesses, including schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and OCD. With cool rationality, Washington challenges the predominant psychiatric paradigm of talking cures and antipsychotics while providing readers with an entertaining and informative introduction to the microbes that like to mess with our heads.
-Kate Scott
from The Best Books We Read in June 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/06/29/riot-r...
-Kate Scott
from The Best Books We Read in June 2016: http://bookriot.com/2016/06/29/riot-r...
February 22, 2016
Disjointed Agenda
It would have been nice if Washington could have managed to stick to ethical investigative journalism and perhaps kept to the topic at hand, the theory of how various pathogens cause mental illness. It would have been a lofty goal at that because the topic itself is so vast. But Washington did a poor job of even trying. My one burning question is who is the true author of this book?
Deviating from the subject many times over, Washington goes off on multiple axes to grind such as her outrage over the pharmaceutical industry’s corporate power plays and their penchant for putting profits before health, denying many citizens of underprivileged countries to suffer some of the worst fates imaginable due to their better-than-average chances of contracting the most horrific diseases imaginable. She barely utters a word about the myriad of environmental issues that potentially cause these diseases while once again touting the imagined efficacy of non- existent vaccines that might not be made available to these populations even if they did exist. There are also plenty of US citizens who are also denied potential life-saving medications due to economic position or lack thereof and some of them are even white. None of what she expounds is news and her outcries had little to no place in this book, a book supposedly about pathogens that cause a neuro-psychiatric presentation, not about the groups of people denied healthcare and not about one size fits all vaccination to save the world from every medical bogeyman imaginable.
In regard to her vaccination as a cure-all for measles and polio eradication to the tics that are a hallmark of Tourette’s or even autism itself, one of the issues that absolutely needed to be included in her conversation of how certain pathogens can cause a neuropsychiatric presentation in some inviduals but not others gives leverage to vaccines as a cause, not a cure of these illnesses. If an immune system can be negatively compromised by a vaccine, then it could be assumed that a failure of one’s immune system to resolve a viral or bacterial episode might result in the body continuing to make antibodies to an infection no longer present, resulting in an auto- immune attack that could take the form of many of the diseases she lists. If vaccines can harm a developing fetus and we should dispense with vaccinating all pregnant women yet protect those unborn children by vaccinating every single living human regardless of their circumstances, why is it that those same vaccines would not harm a newborn, toddler, or adult? This backwards logic has to stop once and for all. Her own misconceptions and fears surrounding vaccines and how they truly work along with her complete lack of regard over the fact that one size does not fit all makes this book a poor choice for this topic.
Wait a minute, what was this book supposed to be about again? I forgot. The title is catchy but I cannot recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how it may be possible to catch mental illness much like we catch a cold. There are far better sources available providing accurate information that hasn’t been skewed by unseen conflicts of interest.
It would have been nice if Washington could have managed to stick to ethical investigative journalism and perhaps kept to the topic at hand, the theory of how various pathogens cause mental illness. It would have been a lofty goal at that because the topic itself is so vast. But Washington did a poor job of even trying. My one burning question is who is the true author of this book?
Deviating from the subject many times over, Washington goes off on multiple axes to grind such as her outrage over the pharmaceutical industry’s corporate power plays and their penchant for putting profits before health, denying many citizens of underprivileged countries to suffer some of the worst fates imaginable due to their better-than-average chances of contracting the most horrific diseases imaginable. She barely utters a word about the myriad of environmental issues that potentially cause these diseases while once again touting the imagined efficacy of non- existent vaccines that might not be made available to these populations even if they did exist. There are also plenty of US citizens who are also denied potential life-saving medications due to economic position or lack thereof and some of them are even white. None of what she expounds is news and her outcries had little to no place in this book, a book supposedly about pathogens that cause a neuro-psychiatric presentation, not about the groups of people denied healthcare and not about one size fits all vaccination to save the world from every medical bogeyman imaginable.
In regard to her vaccination as a cure-all for measles and polio eradication to the tics that are a hallmark of Tourette’s or even autism itself, one of the issues that absolutely needed to be included in her conversation of how certain pathogens can cause a neuropsychiatric presentation in some inviduals but not others gives leverage to vaccines as a cause, not a cure of these illnesses. If an immune system can be negatively compromised by a vaccine, then it could be assumed that a failure of one’s immune system to resolve a viral or bacterial episode might result in the body continuing to make antibodies to an infection no longer present, resulting in an auto- immune attack that could take the form of many of the diseases she lists. If vaccines can harm a developing fetus and we should dispense with vaccinating all pregnant women yet protect those unborn children by vaccinating every single living human regardless of their circumstances, why is it that those same vaccines would not harm a newborn, toddler, or adult? This backwards logic has to stop once and for all. Her own misconceptions and fears surrounding vaccines and how they truly work along with her complete lack of regard over the fact that one size does not fit all makes this book a poor choice for this topic.
Wait a minute, what was this book supposed to be about again? I forgot. The title is catchy but I cannot recommend this book to anyone who wants to learn how it may be possible to catch mental illness much like we catch a cold. There are far better sources available providing accurate information that hasn’t been skewed by unseen conflicts of interest.
September 8, 2016
A well researched and thought provoking book.
December 19, 2018
This book was entirely captivating to me! I love research, biology, brain health, and history. All of which are sewn throughout this novel! You can tell Mrs. Washington is a highly intelligent person!
If science, history, and research don't strike you as fascinating, this may be difficult for you to read. Washington exposes the true causes to many illnesses by thoroughly citing scientists' research, evoking significant and perhaps overlooked historical evidence, and doing a complete 360 on many conventional shared beliefs about today's perceptions of what is considered factual. This opens doors for many awaited breakthroughs.
This book is only difficult to read (referring to other reviews) because each page is voluminous and the entire book is thoroughly packed with a ton of information. However, in the same sense, I found every bit of it highly intriguing. I never desired to put the book down, but would only do so out of tiredness lol.
The book's purpose is to make the case that pathogens are responsible for mental illness like they are in physical illness. Washington's unorthodox research have not to this time been accepted by the practice of majority of doctors and scientists. This groundbreaking knowledge proves there isn't a division between "mental" illnesses of the mind and "physical" illnesses of the body! She proposes they are all physical because mental illnesses are caused by an infection. This is very good news because it means illnesses plaguing the brain have an identifiable source and can be eradicated and prevented!
In the big picture, I definitely believe this book will be regarded highly and be a pivotal point referenced in medical history!
I would also love to note how much I adore how this incredibly brilliant author/scientist/doctor etc. is a black woman! 😍 I hope to meet her!
Initially, my personal familial ties to "Mental" Illness lured me to this book.
My immediate family of 5 is plagued with Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCD, Tourette's Syndrome, Bell's Palsy, Depression, Anxiety (Severe Panic Attacks), Paranoia, Suicidal tendencies, Epilepsy, Multiple Personality Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder, a temporary/ random onset of Schizophrenia in an intelligent/popular and seemingly healthy child, Insomnia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. That's all between the 5 of us.
I also battle "physical" autoimmune illnesses that I've had my entire young life: Crohn's Disease, Sarcoidosis, Stage 3 Endometriosis, Uveitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis: Ankylosing Spondylitis, Interstitial Cystitis, and many other symptoms. (Despite all of this we are a high-functioning family who appear perfectly normal).
Surprisingly, these illnesses were all mentioned in the book! Having such personal experience with this, it all made so much sense and I am hopeful for future generations of people! 💜
If science, history, and research don't strike you as fascinating, this may be difficult for you to read. Washington exposes the true causes to many illnesses by thoroughly citing scientists' research, evoking significant and perhaps overlooked historical evidence, and doing a complete 360 on many conventional shared beliefs about today's perceptions of what is considered factual. This opens doors for many awaited breakthroughs.
This book is only difficult to read (referring to other reviews) because each page is voluminous and the entire book is thoroughly packed with a ton of information. However, in the same sense, I found every bit of it highly intriguing. I never desired to put the book down, but would only do so out of tiredness lol.
The book's purpose is to make the case that pathogens are responsible for mental illness like they are in physical illness. Washington's unorthodox research have not to this time been accepted by the practice of majority of doctors and scientists. This groundbreaking knowledge proves there isn't a division between "mental" illnesses of the mind and "physical" illnesses of the body! She proposes they are all physical because mental illnesses are caused by an infection. This is very good news because it means illnesses plaguing the brain have an identifiable source and can be eradicated and prevented!
In the big picture, I definitely believe this book will be regarded highly and be a pivotal point referenced in medical history!
I would also love to note how much I adore how this incredibly brilliant author/scientist/doctor etc. is a black woman! 😍 I hope to meet her!
Initially, my personal familial ties to "Mental" Illness lured me to this book.
My immediate family of 5 is plagued with Autism Spectrum Disorder, OCD, Tourette's Syndrome, Bell's Palsy, Depression, Anxiety (Severe Panic Attacks), Paranoia, Suicidal tendencies, Epilepsy, Multiple Personality Disorder, Bi-Polar Disorder, a temporary/ random onset of Schizophrenia in an intelligent/popular and seemingly healthy child, Insomnia, and Chronic Fatigue Syndrome. That's all between the 5 of us.
I also battle "physical" autoimmune illnesses that I've had my entire young life: Crohn's Disease, Sarcoidosis, Stage 3 Endometriosis, Uveitis, Rheumatoid Arthritis: Ankylosing Spondylitis, Interstitial Cystitis, and many other symptoms. (Despite all of this we are a high-functioning family who appear perfectly normal).
Surprisingly, these illnesses were all mentioned in the book! Having such personal experience with this, it all made so much sense and I am hopeful for future generations of people! 💜
November 13, 2015
I loved this book. Washington does a great job using history, research, and other various cases to link infections with certain psychological illnesses. One thing I like about her style of writing is you can tell she does a lot of homework and research on the subjects she is talking about. She doesn't just bring new ideas to the table, but ideas that have existed that maybe haven't been fully explained in strong detail by a majority of people in the scientific community. The scientific community sometimes tends to be stuck in old models on how certain ailments are caused, and she does a great job broadening the subject at hand. Mental disorders have been linked with environment, genetics, trauma, or abuse, but rarely have we heard of the causation being that of an infection. This book was refreshing and was an overall great book. One that I'm sure I will be using as a reference point throughout my studies of health and medicine. -AMB/THOTN
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March 27, 20213.5 stars
Over the last few months, I have been researching this and related topics. This is a good introductory synthesis about the human microbiome and how it plays into physical and mental health. A good place to start to learn more.
Over the last few months, I have been researching this and related topics. This is a good introductory synthesis about the human microbiome and how it plays into physical and mental health. A good place to start to learn more.
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October 13, 2015Combining a thorough review of medical and psychiatric research results with engaging case studies, Harriet Washington presents a compelling case for the biological basis of prevalent mental health disorders. Cases of autism, schizophrenia, Tourette's, and other mental health disorders have been found to be caused, at least partially, by biological means (bacteria and viruses). Washington illustrates how these biological agents, in combination with genetics, environmental factors, and general health, contribute to the complex presentation of mental health disorders. Readers will find Infectious Madness a thought-provoking look at our perceptions of the divide between physical and mental health. I was delighted to be able to read this advanced copy as part of a Goodreads Giveaway.
July 5, 2017
I found this book fascinating. I particularly enjoyed the section on pre-Freudian ideas and treatment of mental illness.
My only criticism would be an over use on reporting on the reporting of studies, rather than reporting on the studies directly. At times it can be two levels of bias on a study rather than one. But still thoroughly engaging and I would recommend this book to others.
My only criticism would be an over use on reporting on the reporting of studies, rather than reporting on the studies directly. At times it can be two levels of bias on a study rather than one. But still thoroughly engaging and I would recommend this book to others.
July 24, 2021
RATING: 2.5 stars
This is a frustrating book. The first 4 chapters superficially covers the influence of bacteria, viruses and other parasites on a variety of mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Alzheimer's, autism and anorexia. This first section of the book was at least interesting and written in an engaging manner and would make a good introduction to the topic. I did, however, wish for more indepth information and science. The last 3 chapters deal with a random hodge-podge of other things with a vague "hand-wave" to the supposed topic of this book. The mish-mash of subjects covered in the last 3 chapters should probably each have had a book of their own. It's almost like two different people wrote this book.
This is a frustrating book. The first 4 chapters superficially covers the influence of bacteria, viruses and other parasites on a variety of mental illnesses, such as schizophrenia, obsessive-compulsive disorder, Alzheimer's, autism and anorexia. This first section of the book was at least interesting and written in an engaging manner and would make a good introduction to the topic. I did, however, wish for more indepth information and science. The last 3 chapters deal with a random hodge-podge of other things with a vague "hand-wave" to the supposed topic of this book. The mish-mash of subjects covered in the last 3 chapters should probably each have had a book of their own. It's almost like two different people wrote this book.
February 7, 2019
I really didn't enjoy this book very much. I found the narrative flow very disjointed, with a lot of preaching in between facts. The main idea - how we catch mental illness - was not covered particularly well as the diseases weren't discussed, and for those who love mechanisms, there were none. It may be that my background knowledge of the topic disrupted my view, or it may be poor editing.
There were some wonderful sections, and the writing is easy to read in individual sections. Again, I think it's an okay book in need of a really good edit.
Two stars for some of the great individual facts within.
There were some wonderful sections, and the writing is easy to read in individual sections. Again, I think it's an okay book in need of a really good edit.
Two stars for some of the great individual facts within.
May 25, 2017
I give one star because of the obvious bias in the text. For example, the author, when making a point about infection in early term v late term pregnancy, states something to the effect of: [virus name] infections during the first trimester of pregnancy resulted in a 700% increase in [resulting disease] where as an infection during the final trimester resulted in just a 3 fold increase, according to such and such study. I was already skeptical about some of the claims leading up to this point, but the unfair treatment of data here caused me to put down the book. Either say 7x and 3x or 700% and 300%. The author is aiming to mislead a casual reader into comparing 700 v 3.
December 15, 2015
This is a great book on how some disorders may arise from infections. For example, strep throat in young children can result in OCD or anorexia. But her conclusions are not limited to medical disorders. She also has a chapter on cultural disorders. ( Hitler + Jews = Trump + Muslims? <- my parallel) I recommend reading "Brain on fire" by Susannah Calahan, a personal memoir related to this topic.
January 27, 2016
Seriously. Read this book. My life has been rescued because a few brave doctors have begun to understand how a virus or infection can truly attack your brain in such a way you seem completely mad.
September 6, 2015
I won a free copy from the Goodreads First Reads Giveaway Program and think that it interesting. I would recommend it to everyone.
February 14, 2016
Outstanding
I learned so much and have so many more questions. Well researched and written, but it seems tip of the iceberg?
I learned so much and have so many more questions. Well researched and written, but it seems tip of the iceberg?
August 18, 2023
I was skeptical to read this book due to the subtitle “the surprising science of how we catch mental illness.” In a society that too often isolates the mentally ill I thought this was a bold choice of words, but was hopeful the author would make good use of it.
From a writing perspective, this book feels all over the place. It jumps from topic to topic in a way that doesn’t always seem intuitive. Furthermore, this book deals with infections from our environment that can cause mental symptoms, not how “contagious” they are from person to person as the title implies.
The author is so dedicated to proving the premise of this book that any good information feels skewed by a narrow perspective that ignores the effects of ableism, racism, and poverty to name a few.
All in all, it’s an interesting topic and something that should be considered more when diagnosing mental illness. However, this book bites off way more than it can chew and simply misses the mark.
From a writing perspective, this book feels all over the place. It jumps from topic to topic in a way that doesn’t always seem intuitive. Furthermore, this book deals with infections from our environment that can cause mental symptoms, not how “contagious” they are from person to person as the title implies.
The author is so dedicated to proving the premise of this book that any good information feels skewed by a narrow perspective that ignores the effects of ableism, racism, and poverty to name a few.
All in all, it’s an interesting topic and something that should be considered more when diagnosing mental illness. However, this book bites off way more than it can chew and simply misses the mark.
November 28, 2017
3.5 stars. Some really fascinating and intriguing ideas in this book, but the information was presented in a haphazard way that I think can detract from the message. Still, very much worth reading and I appreciate knowing that there are people willing to look outside of psychotropic medication box when it comes to mental illness.
June 30, 2018
I would have rated this book as a "4" based on the premise alone. Unfortunately the author's tendency to try to make political statements reduced it to a 3. Everytime, she tried to make a political statement, she got all discombulated while trying to make the facts fit her statements.
December 13, 2022
will read some reviews now that will definitely explain why all this is nonsense and how we've already got all of the answers
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<...> around 1911 Swiss psychiatrist <...> coined the word autistic to describe what he called "the morbid self-admiration" shown by children with what was then regarded as type of schizophrenia
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<...> around 1911 Swiss psychiatrist <...> coined the word autistic to describe what he called "the morbid self-admiration" shown by children with what was then regarded as type of schizophrenia
January 23, 2021
always incredibly interesting to read anything about epidemics / infectious disease from anything 2015-19ish 👀 (ex. she introduces dr fauci basically as a little-known guy LOL)
overall, interesting. some convincing and interesting research, some parts of the book make pretty big leaps that don’t seem to be well explained or backed up either by author or the research.
overall, interesting. some convincing and interesting research, some parts of the book make pretty big leaps that don’t seem to be well explained or backed up either by author or the research.
May 8, 2023
This type of topic is something that I really enjoy and I desperately wanted to love this book. I kept looking for reasons to love this book. I kept struggling to find anything I liked about it. I will say that I enjoyed the exploration of culture related mental disorders (so called "culture bound syndromes) and the call to reassess without the western per second perspective and to view historical Western conditions like shell shock and hysteria as culture related conditions as well. It was not a large section of the book.
Although there were some areas of the book that were factually incorrect or just misleading in that they misrepresented the scientific research or drew conclusions from that research that the authors of the studies themselves did not draw, other parts of the book that were intensely interesting. For example, that the 1918 flu pandemic carried with it a long-Covid type neuropsychiatric syndrome with broad and wide-ranging mental health and neurological symptoms. I've read a lot about the flu pandemic and had never heard about these after effects.
One major issue I draw with this book, which has a tagline of "Many instances of Alzheimer's, OCD and schizophrenia are caused by viruses, prions and bacteria....antibiotics and vaccines and other strategies can easily prevent or treat.". She explores how often, people who have diagnoses of these things (the listed conditions and other neurodivergence) are misdiagnosed but actually have a medical concern instead. For the most part this doesn't at all address how " many instances" of these specific conditions are caused by medical illness/ infection, but rather how common misdiagnosis is and why the patients don't get better when they're being treated for condition they don't have.
This issue is further compounded by the fact that after reading the book I didn't really get the tone that she's interested in using antibiotics or vaccines as a treatment frequently at all- she takes a hard line anti-vaccination stance specifically regarding pregnancy and flu vaccines, claiming that it will cause an " epidemic of schizophrenia."-- since the recommendations were changed 26 years ago, we should be seeing the effects over the last 10 years or so, which hasn't been the case. We did have cases double from the early '90s to the year 2017, but that's significantly too early for any of these flu vaccine babies to be counted in the rates- she doesn't have strong explanation for that. I left the book feeling that she believes that in many / most instances, antibiotics and vaccines are harmful. It doesn't matter much that there's little or no scientific that backs her position, she's happy to explain that the research doesn't support her because all research is biased against her position.
She also spends a significant amount of time talking about the shame of autism and then a paragraph later shames others for not being neurodiversity affirming. While describing her autistic nephew, I certainly felt the distaste dripping from her, as an autistic reader, it made me feel alienated. Much of the evidence she used to support her claim about how the microbiome can affect autism is speculative, assumes causation from correlation, and is based on animal studies from animals modified to present like autistics rather than on any autistic research in humans. Part of the issue of this is that the book was written before some of this research was conducted, and some of what's come out since shows that the assumption of causation actually runs backwards (It's the restrictive autistic diet that appears to affect the microbiome, rather than the microbiome " causing" the autistic traits). The focus on curing people like me was absolutely shame based and not at all neurodiversity affirming.
It's probably 1.5 stars if 1 is the lowest you can go. If I could give some books a "zero" rating, this book would unquestionably be a 1 star. I would not recommend this book to anyone who wants a book based on science or prefers a non-stigmatizing view of mental healthcare.
Although there were some areas of the book that were factually incorrect or just misleading in that they misrepresented the scientific research or drew conclusions from that research that the authors of the studies themselves did not draw, other parts of the book that were intensely interesting. For example, that the 1918 flu pandemic carried with it a long-Covid type neuropsychiatric syndrome with broad and wide-ranging mental health and neurological symptoms. I've read a lot about the flu pandemic and had never heard about these after effects.
One major issue I draw with this book, which has a tagline of "Many instances of Alzheimer's, OCD and schizophrenia are caused by viruses, prions and bacteria....antibiotics and vaccines and other strategies can easily prevent or treat.". She explores how often, people who have diagnoses of these things (the listed conditions and other neurodivergence) are misdiagnosed but actually have a medical concern instead. For the most part this doesn't at all address how " many instances" of these specific conditions are caused by medical illness/ infection, but rather how common misdiagnosis is and why the patients don't get better when they're being treated for condition they don't have.
This issue is further compounded by the fact that after reading the book I didn't really get the tone that she's interested in using antibiotics or vaccines as a treatment frequently at all- she takes a hard line anti-vaccination stance specifically regarding pregnancy and flu vaccines, claiming that it will cause an " epidemic of schizophrenia."-- since the recommendations were changed 26 years ago, we should be seeing the effects over the last 10 years or so, which hasn't been the case. We did have cases double from the early '90s to the year 2017, but that's significantly too early for any of these flu vaccine babies to be counted in the rates- she doesn't have strong explanation for that. I left the book feeling that she believes that in many / most instances, antibiotics and vaccines are harmful. It doesn't matter much that there's little or no scientific that backs her position, she's happy to explain that the research doesn't support her because all research is biased against her position.
She also spends a significant amount of time talking about the shame of autism and then a paragraph later shames others for not being neurodiversity affirming. While describing her autistic nephew, I certainly felt the distaste dripping from her, as an autistic reader, it made me feel alienated. Much of the evidence she used to support her claim about how the microbiome can affect autism is speculative, assumes causation from correlation, and is based on animal studies from animals modified to present like autistics rather than on any autistic research in humans. Part of the issue of this is that the book was written before some of this research was conducted, and some of what's come out since shows that the assumption of causation actually runs backwards (It's the restrictive autistic diet that appears to affect the microbiome, rather than the microbiome " causing" the autistic traits). The focus on curing people like me was absolutely shame based and not at all neurodiversity affirming.
It's probably 1.5 stars if 1 is the lowest you can go. If I could give some books a "zero" rating, this book would unquestionably be a 1 star. I would not recommend this book to anyone who wants a book based on science or prefers a non-stigmatizing view of mental healthcare.
July 21, 2018
Very informative and engaging. Some sections repeated anecdotes relayed in previous chapters, which made me wonder if the editing was too rushed to get comprehensive organization.
May 14, 2019
The first half of the book was fascinating. I'm glad the author clarified multiple times that infectious disease does not always cause mental illness, but it can be the root cause in some cases. I don't like the way autism was described using language that implied it's a disease that needs to be eradicated. I guess that counts as a nitpick but it matters a lot to me.
The second half of the book starts going off on tangents about culture that I don't think are really necessary and I disagree with a lot of what the author says about violence, but I could write my own book on that at this point.
I learned something new though, so this was an interesting read.
The second half of the book starts going off on tangents about culture that I don't think are really necessary and I disagree with a lot of what the author says about violence, but I could write my own book on that at this point.
I learned something new though, so this was an interesting read.
March 3, 2016
This is a heavy book. I was attracted by the title and thought it might be easy reading. Well it was not. It turns out this book was part of the author's Master's thesis. It was, therefore, a scholarly work. I learned a lot from this book and in particular a lot about the mind body connection. Would I recommend this book? If you are fascinated by medicine and treatment methodology this book is for you. Otherwise? Hmm...
March 22, 2017
I purchase this book to learn more about PANDAS. However, the author covers a broad range of topics. At times, I felt as if I were reading the unedited brainstorming version of the book. To many loose thoughts lacking supportive data. In order to be insightful, Washington needs to add tons of more material. I could easily see adding 500 more pages to more complete discuss the ideas Washington throws out. 2 stars for some interesting ideas, but I wouldn't recommend this work.
January 25, 2024
Presents a mind-blowing correlation between infectious pathogens and neurological conditions. Well-researched and well-written, although some ideas were so unexpected that I really had trouble wrapping my head around. Also shines light on some problems present in biomedical research and possible options to explore, which has restored a bit of hope for the future so 4.5 :)
October 26, 2018
Provocative, interesting, but a wee bit dangerous; in the wrong hands, too much of the research could serve as triggers for phobic behavioral manifestations. While the topic needs to be open to discussion, Sensationalism isn't appropriate. NOT for everyone.
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