Szasz's correspondence and essays

Thomas Szasz was a psychiatrist known for his criticism of how society defines and treats mental illness. His "correspondence" and essays argue that mental illness is a metaphor rather than a medical diagnosis, emphasizing that many mental health labels are social judgments used to control behavior. He believed personal responsibility and individual rights are essential, and that labeling people as mentally ill can be unjust. Szasz advocated for understanding mental distress as psychological or social issues, not medical diseases requiring coercive treatment, challenging traditional psychiatry's role in defining and managing mental health problems.