Just to throw in a complete diversion, when I saw this revived thread my first question was whether this was some scientology thing, given their dogmatic anti-psychiatry stance.
Dr. Hoffer was a psychiatrist. He was Jewish.
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I don't believe in Scientology, nor endorse it, but they do have a fantastic anti-psychiatry video called The Marketing of Madness. I do recommend that people watch it. It is an eye-opener.
Dr. Bonnie Burstow and Don Weitz are two leaders from Toronto behind this anti-psychiatry movement. Dr. Burstow does not endorse Dr. Hoffer, nor any of his teachings, which I think is unfortunate. He used water therapy and ECT, and dangerous surgeries early on in his research. Also, he is a psychiatrist who does prescribe medications, which she would find intolerable.
Anti-psychiatry is a real bottom-up movement, and there are a lot of horror stories out there.