Synopsis
Building on more than three decades of research, Peter Conrad explores the forces behind the trend to treat what were once commonly considered normal human conditions as medical ailments. Using case studies of short stature, social anxiety, "male menopause," erectile dysfunction, adult ADHD, and sexual orientation, he examines the emergence of and changes in medicalization, the consequences of the expanding medical domain, and the implications for health and society. This thought-provoking study offers valuable insights into how medicalization got to this point and where it is heading.