Thomas Szasz

Dec 01, 2007 16:49


"[When] we speak of physical disturbances, we mean either signs (for example, a fever) or symptoms (for example, pain).  We speak of mental symptoms, on the other hand, when we refer to a patient's communications about himself, others, and the world about him... the statement that "X is a mental symptom' involves rendering a judgment. (Szasz, 1982).

"[When] patients with demonstrable diseases of the brain are involuntarily hospitalized, the primary purpose is to exercise social control over their behaviour." (Szasz, 1974)
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