Pathological

USA TODAY NATIONAL BESTSELLER

AN APPLE BOOKS PICK OF THE MONTH

"Sharply personal and impeccably detailed."Kirkus Reviews (starred review)

"[A] fiery manifesto of a memoir."New York Times

Masterfully written, distinctively researched, deeply humane Genius.Anthony Swofford, international and New York Times bestselling author of Jarhead

A major contribution A necessary book.Johann Hari, author of Lost Connections

This book is a triumph of the spirit and the flesh.Eliza Griswold, Pulitzer Prizewinning author of Amity and Prosperity

Is a psychiatric diagnosis a lifeline or a self-fulfilling prophecy?

In this stunning debutboth a memoir and work of investigative journalismbestselling author and former advisory editor at The Paris Review Sarah Fay chronicles her harrowing journey through six psychiatric diagnoses that began when she was just twelve years old.

Diagnosed with anorexia, major depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, ADHD, OCD, and bipolar disorder over twenty-five years, Fay lived under the weight of each labeluntil finally, while in her forties and no longer able to live independently, she began to question the very system that defined her. With exquisite detail and wry honesty, she digs up her own life at the root to reveal the crippling impact of overidentification with psychiatric diagnoses, especially for young people.

Pathological is both a cautionary tale and a deeply researched expos. Fay discovers that some of our most prominent psychiatrists have been warning us that psychiatry's diagnostic biblethe DSMisnt the scientific manual its touted to be.

Powerful, mesmerizing, and unputdownable, Pathological calls for a new conversation about mental healthone based on transparency and patient empowerment. It sits alongside the other brave and inspiring classics of our time that explore a more intelligent, forgiving, and nuanced approach to human suffering.