Manufacturing Victims: What the Psychology Industry Is Doing to People

by Tana Dineen

After thirty years in the profession, Dr. Tana Dineen has written an unflinching critique of modern Psychology and Psychotherapy. This controversial best-selling exposé of the Psychology Industry was first published in 1996. Now available in its revised, updated and less expensive 3rd edition, it is no less popular nor less explosive than when it first appeared. Cited in Time and the New York Times, among other wide-circulation publications, Tana Dineen's scathing attack on the abuses and misuses of corrupted psychotherapy is a must read for care-givers and care-takers alike. And for would-be care-takers too. Topics covered include Victim-Making, Fabricated Victims, Selling Psychology as a Science, The Business of Psychology, The Technology of Victim-Making, The Rise to Power of the Psychology Industry, and Living in the Shadow of the Psychology Industry. Fully supported by end of book notes and index, and with a suggested reading list, this is one of the most important books on psychology to appear in recent years. The author has been often--and always unsuccessfully--attacked by representatives of corporate psychology who have resorted to character assassination rather than reason to try and prove Dr. Dineen wrong.

Genres: Psychology, Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1996

Reviews

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmm. Not entirely convinced by this book. Dineen claims that therapeutic intervention (at least in cases of trauma) has no more demonstrated clinical effectiveness than "letting the client be". Essentially she is stating that a person's trauma will resolve itself over time. However there is a lot of evidence to suggest that CBT and DBT can help patients with disorganised thinking and anxiety resulting from traumatic events, some people after a trauma are naturally resilient and don't want therapeutic intervention, but not all.

I also have a feeling she is not telling people the full story. She's misrepresenting facts. It is a tiny little dot point in one of her chapters, but she states that after a building demolition in Canberra in the late 90's counsellors were offered on site (I think she's suggesting that people are now so "soft" that they need counselling after watching a building collapse). The truth is that a little girl was smacked in the head with debris from that demolition, killing her instantly. It was big news in Australia at the time. Counsellors were offered on site to witnesses of the accident, if they felt they needed it. That might be responsible in this context, no?

I could go on, and this is only a tiny little thing, but it is a TOTAL misrepresentation of that event. What else is Dineen skewing?

She has some interesting points. Her essential argument is that psychology is little more than glorified 20th century witchdoctery. Just be careful of the evidence she's using to back the polemic.

[Glen · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first 5 star rating. A well written and interesting account of fraud and greed within the psychology field. Dineen contents that, "While a small proportion of psychologists are adhering to scientific principles, most who claim to be scientists are using the label as a means of advertising and persuasion." I would recommend this book to anyone in the psychology field and a must read for anyone seeking or currently in any form of therapy.

[Dfordoom · Rating 5 out of 5]

Details the horrifying true story of the psychology industry, of the ways it not only makes individuals into victims but makes victims of all of us one way or another. Masquerading as science this industry operates on a basis of lies and ethical practices that would make the Mafia blush. Dr Tana Dineen is herself a psychologist and lifts the lid on the racket from an insider's perspective.

[Nina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very intetesting book. Our culture is so steeped in psychobabble we have forgotren how to lead genuine lives. Looking at psychology as an industry like any other business is important as the need to perpetuate itself requires creating a need for a yet larger list of products to sell. But when lives are involved, instead of a new widget, the consequences can be tragic.
The author is a psychologist, by the way, and never discounts the genuine good the profession has done.

[Rob Wipond · Rating 5 out of 5]

A remarkably prescient book. Dineen was already concerned about the massive over-reach of psychology and psychiatry into nearly every aspect of our everyday lives twenty years ago. And despite their relatively weak scientific underpinnings, the trend has only deepened and broadened since then.

[Brittney Turanich · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bold and well-researched. Comprehensive list of suggested readings at the end.

[Jeffrey Barouch]

I have read this one approximately 20 years ago. Due to renewed interest in the subject of bogus, charlatan, psychology, I need a refresh. Perhaps a later edition might cover additional information (including statistics) that wasn't in the edition I read.

[Linda Rice · Rating 4 out of 5]

The author, previously a psychologist and researcher, exposes how psychology has changed (led us into falsehood) our worldview in relation to emotional, behavioral, and relational problems. Now, everyone is a victim. We use victim terminology for emotional difficulties. In order to compete with medicine, psychologists applied medical metaphors to mental-emotional problems and created the DSM in order to persuade insurance companies to subsidize counseling. Well-researched and documented. Examples and illustrations of her points. It was rather heavy reading, intense, so I didn't finish, but I read far enough into the book to understand her point and comprehend how extensively psychology has invaded our lives and relationships. I recommend the book.

[Velvetink]

a friend is reading this at the moment, says it is excellent. Hope I can borrow it sometime.