Encyclopedia of Cognitive Behavior Therapy

There is a curious division between psychiatrists and those members of the general public who have a reading interest in mental disorders. A very high proportion of professional reading is scientific – either genetic or pharmacological, based on the assumption that mental disorders have an organic basis and require organic treatments. A very high proportion of the public interest is based on the idea that talking and understanding are much more important, and that physical treatments should be regarded with grave suspicion. Thus, there have been huge outcries over treatments which do actually have some proven effectiveness, such as ECT...