Bad Therapy : Why the Kids Aren’t Growing Up (2024) by Abigail Shrier looks at how mental health often doesn’t help kids and why in the US in particular the mental health of children, teens and young people has declined.
Shrier starts out by describing iatrogenesis which is where treatment causes harm. She describes this as what has happened with therapy and psychiatric drugs, particularly in the US. She points out that when there is more treatment for many diseases they decline, but with mental health it’s been the opposite.
The book goes on to describe how social emotional learning (SEL) and schools have been spreading a failing form or therapy that doesn’t emphasize resilience. Instead of encouraging kids to overcome their difficulties it instead suggests focusing on them. Shrier makes a comparison to struggle sessions which is apt. The book also describes how social media and the use of phones also impacts mental health.
Finally the book points toward drastically reducing therapy for kids, getting them to take responsibility, getting them away from social media and off the couch and having more physical freedom. The book mentions the excellent book ‘Free Range Kids’.
Bad Therapy is very much worth a read for modern parents.
ReviewSien 