Summary
Bad Therapy, a groundbreaking book by bestselling investigative journalist Abigail Shrier, delves into the troubling state of mental health care for America's youth. Published in 2023, this New York Times bestseller examines why Gen Z's mental well-being has deteriorated despite increased diagnoses and interventions. Based on extensive research, including hundreds of interviews with child psychologists, parents, teachers, and young people, Shrier argues that the mental health industry itself may be exacerbating the problems it aims to solve, with many therapeutic approaches potentially causing more harm than good. Along with offering a critical perspective on current mental health practices, Bad Therapy provides insights for parents seeking to raise resilient, independent children in an age of increasing psychological challenges.
Plot
Abigail Shrier's Bad Therapy investigates the concerning decline in mental health among Generation Z. The book opens by presenting alarming statistics on rising youth suicide rates, increased antidepressant prescriptions for children, and the proliferation of mental health diagnoses. Shrier argues that these issues stem not from the children themselves but from problematic approaches within the mental health industry.
Drawing on extensive research and hundreds of interviews with psychologists, parents, teachers, and young people, Shrier explores how current mental health practices are negatively impacting children. She examines various therapeutic approaches, including talk therapy, Social Emotional Learning, and “gentle parenting,” revealing their potential harmful effects and lack of proven benefits for many children.
The author delves into specific issues, such as how talk therapy can inadvertently trap children in cycles of anxiety and depression through excessive rumination. She also investigates how Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs in schools may be handicapping vulnerable children, and how certain parenting styles can lead to emotional turbulence and even violence in children desperate for adult guidance.
While acknowledging that mental health care can be lifesaving when properly applied to children with severe needs, Shrier contends that for the average child, current treatments may be doing more harm than good. The book concludes by suggesting that a significant shift in approach is necessary to truly support and nurture the emotional well-being of America's youth.
Themes
Impact of mental health industry practices on young people’s well-being
Critique of various therapeutic approaches
Consequences of overdiagnosis and overtreatment for children and teens
Effects of “gentle parenting” on child development
Role of Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs in secondary schools
Strategies for raising emotionally resilient children
Setting
Bad Therapy by Abigail Shrier is set in contemporary America, focusing on the mental health landscape for Generation Z. The book examines the current era, where youth suicide rates are rising, and antidepressant prescriptions for children have become commonplace. This setting reflects a time of increasing concern about the psychological well-being of young people in the United States.
While the book does not focus on specific geographical locations, it encompasses a broad view of the American mental health industry. Shrier's investigation spans various settings where children interact with mental health professionals, including schools, therapy offices, and homes. The author draws from hundreds of interviews conducted across the country, providing a comprehensive picture of the national mental health situation for young people.
Characters
Abigail Shrier: The author. An investigative journalist, Shrier conducted extensive research and interviews to explore the mental health industry's impact on children and adolescents.
Gen Z Youth: The central focus of the book. Described as facing increasing rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide, these young people are portrayed as victims of a mental health industry that may be exacerbating their problems.
Mental Health Experts: A collective group criticized in the book for their role in potentially harming children's mental well-being.
Parents: Described as anxious, seeking answers from therapists for their children's normal developmental challenges. The book suggests that some parenting approaches, like “gentle parenting,” may inadvertently contribute to children's emotional turbulence.
Therapists: Portrayed as professionals who may be too eager to explore potential problems in children, possibly motivated by financial incentives. The book suggests that some therapists may be creating patients faster than they can cure them.
Quick facts
Bad Therapy became a New York Times bestseller shortly after its release in 2023.
Abigail Shrier conducted hundreds of interviews with mental health professionals, parents, teachers, and young people for her research.
Bad Therapy explores the negative impacts of common therapeutic approaches like talk therapy and Social Emotional Learning (SEL) programs.
Shrier argues that “gentle parenting” can actually lead to increased emotional turbulence in children.
The author previously wrote the controversial book Irreversible Damage about transgender youth.
Bad Therapy examines why Gen Z's mental health appears to be worse than previous generations.
The book offers advice for raising emotionally resilient and independent children.
Shrier criticizes the mental health industry for potentially overdiagnosing and overtreating normal adolescent struggles.
About the Author
Abigail Shrier is an American journalist and author, known for her controversial and thought-provoking works on contemporary social issues. She gained widespread recognition with Irreversible Damage: The Transgender Craze Seducing Our Daughters (2020). Exploring the rapid increase in gender dysphoria among teenage girls, the book sparked intense debate and became a New York Times bestseller. Her most recent book, Bad Therapy: Why the Kids Aren't Growing Up (2024), focuses on common therapeutic, educational, and parenting practices that may be exacerbating the mental health crisis among today’s children and adolescents. Like her previous work, it quickly became both a New York Times and international bestseller, with translations into 17 languages.
Shrier holds an AB from Columbia College, where she was awarded the prestigious Euretta J. Kellett Fellowship. She furthered her studies at the University of Oxford, earning a B.Phil., before completing her JD at Yale Law School. She is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal. In 2021, her contributions to journalism were recognized with the Barbara Olson Award for Excellence and Independence in Journalism.
