Over-Medicalization of Everyday Life

This post is a continuation of my post Steven Novella M.D. and Mental Illness Denial. In Mental Illness Denial Part I, Dr. Novella makes the point that various parts of the brain enable us to do certain things, and that if we are doing these things dysfunctionally, or not well, or perhaps not at all, then clearly there is something wrong with that part of the brain. The example he gives is the activity of paying attention – but I think this is provided as an example, and that Dr. Novella intended his comments to apply to the full range of problems embraced by the DSM. ...

Christopher Lane, author of Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness, has a new post, in which he attacks the APA for including somatic symptom disorder (SSD) in the upcoming DSM-5. Dr. Lane quotes from Allen Francis (former DSM guru who has now seen the light) and Suzy Chapman, a UK health advocate. Both of these commentators attack the new “diagnosis” as invalid, unreliable, and potentially over-inclusive. Here are some quotes: ...

Elsewhere on this site, I have argued that depression is not an illness, but rather is an adaptive mechanism that encourages us to make changes in our habits or our circumstances. I have written about what I call the seven natural anti-depressants: good nutrition; fresh air; sunshine (in moderation); physical activity; purposeful activity; good relationships; and adequate and regular sleep. But the question has often been posed: Why does this adaptive mechanism apparently not work in some cases? Why is it that for some people the unpleasant feeling fails to act as a spur to make changes, and instead the person sinks further into despondency and inactivity? ...

By now I guess everybody knows that psychiatry is under attack. The attack is four-pronged: the “diagnoses” are spurious; the drugs are damaging; the deception is blatant and deliberate; and the ties to Big Pharma are corrupting. I have discussed all of these topics in great detail throughout the website. This week I’ve come across interesting responses from two different psychiatrists. First, Adrian Preda, MD, from California. Dr. Preda apparently attributes at least some of the anti-psychiatry groundswell to the ignorance of the general public and the bias of the media, whom he contrasts to the well-informed experts who understand the nuances. The article is brief and vague, but by experts I think he means psychiatrists! ...

Prior to about 1994, childhood bipolar disorder was virtually unheard of. DSM-III-R (1987), in the section on manic episode, states, “…studies indicate that the mean age at onset is in the early 20s. However…a sizable number of new cases appear after age 50.”(p 216) Of course a mean age of onset in the early 20’s could include young children. The section on major depressive episode, however, contains the following: “The average age of onset is in the late 20s, but a major depressive episode may begin at any age, including infancy.” (p 220) ...

Late adolescence and early adulthood is arguably the most difficult period of life. Transitioning from childhood to adulthood entails many challenges. The young person (male or female) is expected to emancipate successfully from parents; launch a career; and find a partner – all in the space of a few short years. Some individuals cope remarkably well. Others squeak through, and a small minority “crash and burn.” The latter group usually return home. ...

There is an interesting article in last month’s issue of the British Journal of Psychiatry. The article, titled Psychiatry beyond the current paradigm, was authored by Pat Bracken, an Irish psychiatrist, and 28 other British and Irish psychiatrists. The gist of the piece is that the current psychiatric paradigm, which the authors describe as “applied neuroscience,” is not supported by the evidence and needs to be abandoned. Here are some quotes: ...

Duncan Double is a British psychiatrist who has a website called Critical Psychiatry. On October 12 he published a post under the heading: “The majority of psychiatrists think adult ADHD is an example of the over-medicalisation of everyday life.” Here are some quotes: “When I trained, adult ADHD was never mentioned - it's a relatively new concept, gaining popularity in the 1990s. Many psychiatrists don't feel happy diagnosing a condition in adults that they were taught children generally grow out of.” ...