No further evidence is needed to show that 'mental illness' is not the name of a biological condition whose nature awaits to be elucidated, but is the name of a concept whose purpose is to obscure the obvious.

Thomas S. Szasz

Related Quotes

No further evidence is needed to show that 'mental illness' is not the name of a biological condition whose nature awaits to be elucidated, but is the name of a concept whose purpose is to obscure the obvious.

— Thomas Szasz

AwaitsBiologicalConcept

There is no such thing as mental illness, hence also no such thing as psychotherapy.

— Thomas Szasz

AlsoHenceIllness

The cruelty intrinsic to the workhouse system was excused by the need to discourage idleness, much as the malice intrinsic to the mental hospital system has been excused by the need to provide treatment.

— Thomas Szasz

coercioninsanityliberty

'Psychotherapy' is a private, confidential conversation that has nothing to do with illness, medicine, or healing.

— Thomas Szasz

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Mental illness, of course, is not literally a 'thing' - or physical object - and hence it can 'exist' only in the same sort of way in which other theoretical concepts exist.

— Thomas Szasz

ConceptsCourseExist