GRSJ224/medicalizationofdepressionandanxiety
Medicalization of Depression and Anxiety
Definitions
Medicaliztion
The term medicalization refers to the process in which normal human conditions and problems become labeled and therefore diagnosed and treated as a medical condition.[1] Medicalization results in the inappropriate leveling of regular human problems of living as a disease, disorder or illness, requiring treatment, which is more often than not medication.[2]
Major Depressive Disorder
Commonly referred to simply as, ‘depression,’ is a mental disorder that is characterized by lengthy periods of low mood, in which an individual experiences a range of symptoms including, but not limited to; sadness, lack of motivation, reduced energy, and suicidal thoughts.[3]
Anxiety Disorder
Commonly referred to simply as, ‘anxiety,’ Anxiety Disorders feature a group of mental disorders that are centralized around feelings relating to anxiety and fear.[4] Disorders included in the larger category of Anxiety Disorders include, but are not limited to, Generalized Anxiety Disorder, Panic Disorder, Social Anxiety Disorder, and Separation Anxiety Disorder.[5]
Background
Medicalization
The term medicalization emerged in the 1970’s as a concept and theoretical tradition. The term is derived from Talcott Parson who wrote about medicines and their role in controlling deviance and in turn simultaneously strengthen social order in life ensuring even the sick conform to dominant social norms of productivity, a strong functionalist stance.[6] The term evolved over time and came, as medical agents began to redefine social problems as medical ones, claiming their knowledge was most suitable to address the issues.[7] That being said, at its core, the term itself is “primarily a matter of defining already-problematic behaviors in medical terms”.[8]
About Medicalization of Depression and Anxiety
Commonalities Between Depression and Anxiety
Diagnosis of medical issues such as anxiety and depression can be problematic, seeing as there is potential for misdiagnosis due to the medicalization of normal human emotions and experiences. For example, it is natural for an individual who has lost a relative to experience sadness, however due to medicalization, there is a risk of over diagnosis of depression and anxiety. Often the general categories of ‘anxiety’ and ‘depression’ are often coupled together, as individuals commonly experience symptoms that can be categorized in both areas, and some experience a combination of both. There is a link that can be drawn between the two categories, although not the same, they share similar elements, depressive emotions can be seen or influence a person struggling with anxiety, similar how anxiety can cause feelings of being overwhelmed can also lead to depression.[9] A common symptom of those suffering with Anxiety are Experiencing a panic attack is not uncommon for those suffering with anxiety, and that in itself can be a depressing thing to deal with.[10] Medication affect individuals differently, and certain medications can prove to target both depression and anxiety in some, giving further justification to try medication as a potential solution.
Potential Risks of Over Diagnosis
The idea that medicalization has resulted in an increase or ‘boom’ in the numbers of diagnosis of depression and anxiety has gained much attention in recent years. Some suggest the rapid increase in diagnosis of Major Depression is due to confusion within the medical realm between patients that are truly ill and those who share their symptoms.[11] Moreover, this is compounded by the fact that, through surveying of symptoms out of context, there are benefits which act as incentive for diagnosis, research and treatment, for drug companies, researchers and clinicians, particularly when it comes to prescription drugs.[12] Others suggest the process of medicalization in mental health is neither good nor bad, but rather that peoples life situations do not have to be medicalized, and can choose to turn towards psychotherapy, which proves to be effective in treating the symptoms of “mild and moderate anxiety and depression”. [13]
Treatment
For the most part, there is consensus that prescription medication can prove to be beneficial in treating sever forms of depression and anxiety, but there exists much debate as to whether the same goes for more mild forms of the conditions.[14] However, rates for prescription of antidepressants to treat anxiety and depression have become “the treatment of choice” in the United States, with a 147.5% rise in antidepressant prescription rates between 1990 and 1998, along with a 10.9% decrease in psychotherapy.[15] Although prescription medication is seemingly the new trend in addressing depression and anxiety, research has shown that a combined approach to treatment that utilizes both a medical and psychological model produces the most optimal results in patient treatment and recovery.[16]
Gender
Feminist researchers involved in the field of mental health have largely been critical of treatment of depression, “particularly the use of anti-depressant drugs, as fostering an inappropriate “medicalization and “pathologization” of women’s psychological distress”.[17] In treatment of depression in women, it is argued that medicalization can prove to be both empowering and disempowering. Medicalization can be viewed as empowering as it allows women to make their own decision on what kind of treatment they desire, however, treatment options are often restricted to those that are publicly funded. Finding therapy from doctors that employ a feminist approach is uncommon in the realm of publicly funded medicine, and is therefore largely unavailable to women that are lacking in the financial capabilities to pay for other services.[18]
References
- ↑ Popescu, B. (2015). Challenging the myth of medication in mild and moderate depression and anxiety, a psychological and philosophical perspective. Postmodern Openings, (1), 175-188.
- ↑ Popescu, B. (2015). Challenging the myth of medication in mild and moderate depression and anxiety, a psychological and philosophical perspective. Postmodern Openings, (1), 175-188.
- ↑ Tracy, N. (2016). What is Depression? Depression Definition, Healthy place. Retrieved from: http://www.healthyplace.com/depression/depression-information/what-is-depression-depression-definition-and-checklist/
- ↑ Tracy, N. (2016). What is an Anxiety Disorder? Anxiety Disorder Definition, Healthy place. Retrieved from: http://www.healthyplace.com/anxiety-panic/anxiety-disorders/what-is-an-anxiety-disorder-anxiety-disorder-definition
- ↑ Ibid,.
- ↑ Rosenfeld, D. Faircloth, C. A. Medicalizedd Masculinities, Temple University Press. Philedelphia. 1-262, 3.
- ↑ Ibid,.
- ↑ Ibid,.
- ↑ Tracy, N. (2016). Relationship between depression and anxiety. Healty place. Retrieved from: http://www.healthyplace.com/depression/anxiety-and-depression/relationship-between-depression-and-anxiety/
- ↑ Ibid,.
- ↑ Mulder, R. T. (2008). An epidemic of depression or the medicalization of distress? Perspectives in Biology and Medicine, 51(2), 238-250. doi:10.1353/pbm.0.0009
- ↑ Ibid,.
- ↑ Popescu, B. (2015). Challenging the myth of medication in mild and moderate depression and anxiety, a psychological and philosophical perspective. Postmodern Openings, (1), 175-188.
- ↑ Spence, D. (2013). Are antidepressants overprescribed? yes. BMJ (Clinical Research Ed.), 346(jan22 3), f191-f191. doi:10.1136/bmj.f191
- ↑ Popescu, B. (2015). Challenging the myth of medication in mild and moderate depression and anxiety, a psychological and philosophical perspective. Postmodern Openings, (1), 175-188. 176.
- ↑ Ibid,.
- ↑ Gammel, D. J., Stoppard, J. M. (1999). Women's experiences of treatment of depression: Medicalization or empowerment? Canadian Psychology/Psychologie Canadienne, 40(2), 112-128. doi:10.1037/h0086831
- ↑ Ibid,.