American Thought Leaders The Failures of the Mental Health Drug Revolution | David Cohen
Jan 21, 2026
David Cohen, a UCLA professor renowned for his research on psychotropic drugs and mental health policy, critiques the failures of modern psychiatry. He discusses the alarming high rates of involuntary hospitalization in the U.S. and its ties to social control rather than true care. Cohen highlights the stark reality of post-hospital suicide rates and questions the effectiveness of the 'mental illness' label. He advocates for prioritizing human connection, social support, and addressing life problems over coercive treatments, urging a rethink of mental health strategies.
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Involuntary Hospitalization As Social Control
- The U.S. uses involuntary psychiatric hospitalization as a societal control mechanism.
- David Cohen links high commitment rates to social breakdown and thin communal supports.
Lindsay Lohan: A High-Profile Commitment Case
- David Cohen cites Lindsay Lohan as a high-profile civil-commitment example.
- He describes post-detention supervision akin to criminal parole as a common outcome.
Conflicting Survivor Stories About Detention
- Some formerly detained people credit coercive intervention with saving them from street addiction.
- Cohen balances these stories with accounts of horror, restraint, and traumatic confinement from others.
