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The article presents an open letter from the author to his colleague Lou Wynne regarding the mental health field. He relates a story of a four-year-old girl who was diagnosed as having bipolar disorder. He criticizes the field's failure to rid itself of the use of make-believe illnesses. It cites the need for those in the field of psychology and other clinicians to rethink and debate various critical issues.

It is argued that an examination of various abnormal psychology textbooks reveals that they read more like political propaganda than fair, valid science. All of the examined texts conformed closely to the psychiatric medical model as represented by the latest version Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). Occasional critiques were levied at the DSM, but they were invariably dismissed and not debated in any serious manner. All of the texts involved in this study invoked the name of psychiatric critic Thomas Szasz and either dismissed his ideas without adequate representation or stated that he need not be taken seriously because he is too radical or possibly disturbed. All manner of assertions were present in these tomes as to the validity of the biogenic etiology of the disorders discussed without either presenting valid empirical evidence to support the assertions or discussing the rich and varied literature that refutes the biogenic hypotheses. It is concluded that students are not being served by these expensive textbooks and should be exposed to a variety of primary source material representing the many sides of conflict within the mental health field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the "Ethical Human Psychology and Psychiatry" (EHPP). It mentioned that the co-editor of the periodical, Jonathan Leo, has retired to pursue an academic and scientific career. Also outlined in the article are some mental health issues that EHPP has demonstrated in its 8 years of existence including the serious difficulties created by the mainstream psychiatry that relate to the political climate of the U.S. society.