Robert Whitaker

As a journalist reporting on medicine and science, Robert Whitaker has been the recipient of multiple awards. Notable among them are the George Polk Award for Medical Writing and the National Association for Science Writers’ Award for the best magazine article. In collaboration with others, he authored a series on psychiatric research for the Boston Globe in 1998, which was a finalist for the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service. Moreover, his book Anatomy of an Epidemic was recognized as the best investigative journalism by the 2010 Investigative Reporters and Editors book award.



American author and journalist


Robert Whitaker is an American author and journalist who has become known for his extensive research and critical analysis of the modern psychiatric industry. In his book Anatomy of an Epidemic, Whitaker examines the long-term effects of psychiatric medications and challenges the conventional narrative that these drugs are the solution to mental health problems. Through meticulous research and compelling case studies, he shows how psychiatric medications often have negative, long-lasting effects on patients and can even exacerbate their conditions.

In addition to write my research paper, I delve into Whitaker's diverse bibliography, which features works such as The Mapmaker's Wife, a factual account of the 18th-century French expedition to South America, and Mad in America, a comprehensive exploration of the evolution of psychiatric treatments in the United States from colonial times till today. In both literary pieces, Whitaker leverages his journalistic prowess to dissect significant historical events, establishing a dialogue with modern-day concerns.

Overall, Whitaker's work has made a significant contribution to the conversation around mental health treatment and has helped to raise important questions about the pharmaceutical industry's influence on psychiatric care.



About the Book: Anatomy of an Epidemic







Anatomy of an Epidemic explores the alarming rise of mental illness disability cases in the past 50 years in the United States. Despite the advent of psychiatric drugs, which began with Thorazine in 1955 and the introduction of Prozac in 1988, the number of mentally ill individuals who are disabled has continued to increase. As of 1955, there were 355,000 adults diagnosed with psychiatric conditions residing in state and county mental hospitals. By 2007, the number had risen to over four million. The same trend can be observed among children, with a 35-fold increase in the number of young people receiving government disability checks due to mental illness from 1987 to 2007.

The book raises the question of whether the widespread use of psychiatric medications is contributing to this epidemic. This topic is perfect for write me a research paper. To answer this question, the author investigates the long-term outcome studies in the research literature. The aim is to determine whether the current paradigm of care helps people get well and stay well or increases the likelihood that those diagnosed with mental disorders will become chronically ill. The purpose of this website is to grant readers of Anatomy of an Epidemic the ability to retrieve the essential studies that are examined in the book.

Robert Whitaker



About the Book: Anatomy of an Epidemic: On the Laps of Gods


In 1919, on the night of September 30th, black sharecroppers in Hoop Spur, Arkansas congregated in a modest wooden church to decide whether or not to engage an attorney and sue their plantation owners for a fair share of the cotton crop. This took place amidst a backdrop of racial tension, with the United States seemingly on the brink of a racial civil war. Over the summer, there had been racial clashes in 25 cities and towns, and news of horrific lynchings filled the newspapers in September.

What occurred in Phillips County during the first few days of October has been a subject of debate. If you have no time to research this topic and master the entire report, you can pay for my essay. On the Laps of Gods offers a well-documented, detailed account of the resulting violence. It also narrates the events that led to a momentous legal battle known as Moore v. Dempsey, which revived the 14th Amendment and transformed the country. This legal battle was championed by an exceptional lawyer, Scipio Africanus Jones, who was born into slavery.



About the Book: The Mapmaker’s Wife


Robert Whitaker





In 1735, Charles Marie de La Condamine led a group of French scientists to Quito, colonial South America, to measure one degree of latitude at the equator. Their mission aimed to answer the most pressing scientific question of the time - what was the exact shape of the earth? By comparing their measurements in South America with those in France or Lapland, they hoped to resolve the debate over whether the earth was bulging at the equator or the poles.

The French Academy of Sciences hailed this mission as the "greatest expedition the world has ever known," which lasted for eight years and resulted in far more than a measurement. Through their explorations and writings, the French scientists provided Europe with the first detailed account of colonial South America's stunning geography, rich culture, and incredible flora and fauna.

One of the scientists, Jean Godin, married a wealthy Peruvian woman, Isabel Gramesón, during the mission in 1741. When he was stranded in French Guiana in 1749, unable to return to Riobamba, Isabel made the dangerous journey through the Upper Amazon rainforest and down the Amazon River 20 years later to rejoin her husband. This story is documented in The Mapmaker's Wife and captivated readers in Europe during the 18th century.



About the Book: Mad in America


Mad in America is a comprehensive history of the treatment of severely mentally ill individuals in the United States, spanning from colonial times to the present day. The book explores the introduction of moral therapy in the early 1800s by Quakers, eugenic attitudes towards the mentally ill during the first half of the 20th century, and the shock therapies and frontal lobotomy practices adopted by psychiatry in the 1930s and 1940s. Additionally, it delves into the poor outcomes for schizophrenia patients in the modern era of psychopharmacology.

The book challenges the conventional history of psychiatry, which credits Thorazine and other antipsychotic medications with revolutionizing the care of the severely mentally ill. Mad in America provides a historical and scientific examination of this story of progress. The author reviews scientific literature to reveal that long-term outcome studies of antipsychotics frequently indicate that these drugs increase the likelihood of individuals diagnosed with schizophrenia becoming chronically ill. Furthermore, the book investigates the marketing of new atypical antipsychotic medications in the 1990s and exposes the scientific fraud underlying that enterprise.