Episode · People I (Mostly) Admire · 2025-03-15
Books mentioned on 153. We’re Not Getting Sicker — We’re Overdiagnosed
Suzanne O'Sullivan is a neurologist who sees many patients with psychosomatic disorders. Their symptoms may be psychological in origin, but their pain is real and physical — and the way we practice medicine, she argues, is making those and other health problems worse.
Steve Levitt recommended The Age of Diagnosis by Suzanne O'Sullivan, and discussed It's All in Your Head by Suzanne O'Sullivan, The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk, The Sleeping Beauties by Suzanne O'Sullivan, and Women of Strength by Betty Jane Cooper Johnson and others.
Books mentioned, in the order they came up
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It's All in Your Head
Discussed“we start our conversation with Matthew one of the patients she describes in her first book it's all in your head true stories of imaginary illness”
Where to get it
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The Body Keeps the Score
The Body Keeps the Score by Bessel van der Kolk is a landmark scientific exploration of how psychological trauma physically alters the brain and body, storing deep emotional pain within human physiology.
Discussed“I'm sure you're familiar with the book the body keeps the score by Bessel vender i'm probably misinterpreting his argument for certain I'm radically simplifying it”
Where to get it
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The Sleeping Beauties
Discussed“as I read your first book which talked about these psychosomatic illnesses it was really mind-boggling but nothing prepared me for what was going to be in your book called Sleeping Beauties”
Where to get it
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Women of Strength
Discussed“your books have been extremely well received both liked by readers and by book critics and you've got a new book called the age of diagnosis which I think people will like as well but I think your book is also going to make a lot of people angry”
Where to get it
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The Age of Diagnosis
The Age of Diagnosis by Suzanne O'Sullivan is a perceptive medical nonfiction book that explores how society's increasing obsession with medical labels and over-diagnosis may actually be causing harm and making people sicker.
Recommended“I hardly recommend all four of her books especially her most recent book book entitled the age of diagnosis how our obsession with medical labels is making us sicker”
Where to get it
