In the last fifty years, the treatment for mental disorders has come with a stigma. This stigma drives the reason why nearly half of the population goes misdiagnosed when it comes to mental disorders, and why only 19% of those diagnosed receive accurate and positive treatment. Psychotherapy, the most beneficial, popular, and best option of psychotherapy provides less risk and greater mental improvement to patients than most conventional methods, most importantly those of psychopharmacology. Pharmaceuticals, an easy solution that only solves the symptoms without solving the root of the problem, have continuous and sought after due to their ease of use. Albeit an easy and quick solution, they involve many risks, including mistreatment, further …show more content…
These boundary lines between a temporary illness and mental disorders linger indistinctly, and professionals have difficulty with a diagnosis. According to Dr. Ron Diamond, numerous mental health problems go misdiagnosed. Since physicians have the inability to take more than fifteen minutes of their time when seeing patients, disorders either go unseen, or diagnoses incorrectly. Doctors often do not take enough time with patients to get to the main issue revolving around their symptoms either. For instance, many different physical disorders may lead to the misdiagnosis of someone as having depression or even bipolar disorder. These physical disorders include a range of things, like influenza, viral hepatitis, cancer, tumors, cardiopulmonary diseases or even sleep apnea (Diamond 4). Also, some patients get treated for certain mental disorders when there a more serious underlying problem exists. For instance, Hypothyroidism or the inactiveness of the thyroid gland, causes a general slowing of all body functions. (Diamond 4). This serious condition can lead to weight gain, or even death if untreated. Patients with hypothyroidism will often complain of the same symptoms that happen when someone has depression or anxiety (Diamond 4). Since misdiagnosis can happen, it would make sense to do trial runs of therapy rather than drugs, since often times patients do not need the medication to feel better, not to mention they often only feel like they get better due to the placebo
As science has evolved, so have treatments for mental illnesses have over time. The medical model is described as the view that psychological disorders are medical diseases with a biological origin (King, 2010, pg. 413). Abnormal behavior that categorizes some disorders can be impacted by biological factors such as genes, psychological factors such as childhood experiences, and even sociocultural factors such as gender and race (King, 2010). Treatments such as psychosurgery (lobotomy) , drug therapy (pharmaceuticals), electroconclusive therapy, and psychoanalysis are used to treat a wide range of psychological disorders. Back then, the public’s negative views on mental illnesses also went as far to associate with the people who treated it; psychiatrists. “Nunnally (1961) found that the public evaluated professionals who treated mental disorders significantly more negatively than those who treat physical disorders,” (Phelan, Link, Stueve, & Pescosolido, 2000, pg. 189). People back then didn’t see the point in “paying to be told that they were crazy”. However, in today’s society, it is now acceptable to seek help from psychiatric professionals; we are seeing more and more people seek mental health treatment. “In terms of facility-based records of utilization (Manderscheid and Henderson 1998), the data suggest that the rate of utilization of professional mental health services has at least doubled and maybe tripled, between the 1950’s and today,” (Phelan, Link, Stueve, & Pescosolido, 2000, pg. 189). In the 1950’s, neuroleptic drugs like Thorazine were introduced to treat the symptoms of schizophrenia. These drugs block a neurotransmitter called dopamine from getting to the brain, which in turn reduce schizophrenic symptoms, however there are some side effects such as substantial twitching of the neck, arms, and legs, and even dysphoria or lack of pleasure. (King, 2010, pg.
The first is that the patient does get treated at some point. They might slip back into their illness but at some point, most of the patients have gotten better or fully recovered. This is beneficial to the patient’s health and the health of those around them. A study was shown that the total number of patients who don’t undergo psychiatric treatment could commit around 1,000 murders each year. There is a number that is smaller than that because even though patients who go to treatment get treated, some relapse. Also, if doctors didn’t put the patients on medications, they could potentially hurt themselves and the people around them. Medications do help the treatment process, but the dosage amount is
Mental health issues are pervasive in todays society. Individuals diagnosed with severe mental illnesses, such as bipolar disorder, have a diminished wellbeing due to the stressors associated with their illness. Whether these psychosocial aggravations are an internalized manifestation of poor self esteem, societal renunciation, or subjective distress, it is evident that mental illness is a stigma on the individual dealing with the disorder, as well as a strain on societal resources. While reliance on psychotropic medications and psychosocial interventions have traditionally been a common treatment plan, many argue that the overuse and inappropriate prescription of drugs in the treatment of mental heath is creating a larger problem than
(Sadock & Sadock, 2008) In recent years, however, the viewpoint has become less doubtful or constrained in planning effective treatment. The goals of treatment are to establish the diagnosis, decide on suitable interventions, and manage difficulties. (Sadock & Sadock, 2008) The success of these goals depends on an effective and therapeutic doctor–patient relationship, which is initially, not easy to create. The patients do not complain about psychiatric symptoms and often enter treatment against their will; even the psychiatrist may be drawn into their delusional nets. (Sadock & Sadock,
Wang, Philip S., Olga Demler, and Ronald C. Kessler. "Adequacy of Treatment for Serious Mental Illness in the United States." American Journal of Public Health 92.1 (2002): 92-98. Print.
Psychopharmaceutical medications is a form of drug treatment used in order to invoke a change on the mental state of the user. This form of treatment is widely used in the world of mental health in order to alleviate patients of the symptoms of the mental illness which they are suffering from. Individuals understand psychiatric medications as a form of help that they receive from their physician in order to “normalize” their lives. Often people suffering from mental illness find it hard to concentrate, keep stable relationships, maintain their personality, maintain their energy levels, etc. Psychiatric medication treatment can reduce such symptoms causing issues in their daily practices and increase a person’s ability to pursue their interests,
Considering the research question: “How do the benefits and limitations of antidepressants and psychotherapy in reducing symptoms of major depression give a better understanding of human nature regarding the different psychological perspectives?” this essay will argue that while treating major depression biologically with antidepressants can be successful, there is more credit due to psychotherapy as treatment because people are social beings with conscious, cognitive th...
In today’s society, the stigma around mental health has caused many people to fear seeking medical treatment for problems they are dealing with. With an abundance of hateful outlooks and stereotypical labels such as: crazy, psycho, and dangerous, it is clear that people with a mental illness have a genuine reason to avoid pursuing medical treatments. Along with mental health stigma, psychiatric facilities that patients with a mental health issue attend in order to receive treatment obtain an excessive amount of unfavorable stereotypes.
Physicians struggle between their ethical duty to not cause harm to their patient and their obligation to give services that will benefit the patient. Psychiatrists all too often face the challenge of patients that desperately need treatment yet refuse to comply. “When an individual is suffering from a severe mental illness that grossly distorts his perception of reality…the individual is not truly autonomous…and the decision to override their wishes…does not cause much conflict for the psychiatrist” (Testa and West, 31). When treated with pharmaceuticals, many patients become stable. There are times, though, when their illness is not effectively under control and they stop treatment. Some medications require time to reach a therapeutic level in your system for the desired affect. Discontinuance of the treatment can lead to undesirable
Did you know that one in five Americans suffer from a mental illness (Newsweek)? The only treatment widely accessible is therapy and medication. Which type of treatment is more effective? Mental illness treatment in the 1800’s was extremely ineffective. If someone was to have had a mental illness those people were placed in institutions that were quite similar to jails. People who resided here had no opportunities to leave, no matter had badly they wanted to. Patients were kept in filthy conditions, chained to their beds, and even abused. Recent treatment for mental illness over the past 20 years has greatly advanced. Studies have shown that cognitive therapy is as effective as antidepressant medications at treating depression (Bekiempis).
For example, depression is something people will take medication for, but how can one really distinguish whether somebody is having a bad day, from being truly depressed. Even if a psychiatrist was able to tell the difference, it is still not a good idea that someone has to take a pill (or other means of medications) in order for one to not be depressed. Consequently, that person will become dependent on drugs instead of truly overcoming depression. Joanna Moncrieff, wrote the book “Myth of the Chemical Cure: A Critique of Psychiatric Drugs,” where she states, “It (power) has facilitated the particular form of social control that is embodied in psychiatric practice, by construing psychiatric restraint as the medical cure of a mental disease” (218). Just like Joanna writes, psychiatrists think that putting the person under restraint psychologically restraint is the remedy, but the fact is, all it does is temporarily puts a hold on the problem without fixing it. Joanna further states how people adopted this thinking that psychological problem result from a chemical imbalance
This not only affects the lives of the patients, but also the lives of therapists. A simple mistake can ruin an individual’s life, as well as the therapist, doctor, or any health practitioners, and depending on the severity of the misdiagnosis, it may last a lifetime. With so many negative impacts of misdiagnosis, many might ask what are University and professionals doing to put an end to it. There’s so many ways Universities can help prevent misdiagnosis “Teaching medical students in a way that doesn’t always center on looking for the quickest, easiest diagnosis could mean better diagnoses for millions of people every year. Medical students are trained that ‘when you hear hoof beats, think horses, not zebras.’ This cognitive shortcut generally works well, but combined with the pressured reality of modern medical practice, it impacts a doctor’s capacity for critical thinking” as reported by Seattle times from an article named Millions of Patients are Being Treated for the Wrong Condition. First, Universities should teach future therapists and other health practitioners how to appropriately use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders before diagnosing a client. Additionally, universities need to make sure studies are ready to work with a patient before trusting them to diagnose a client. Universities are not the only ones to blame when it comes to
Science, according to Webster’s New Collegiate Dictionary, is described to be “knowledge attained through study or practice," or "knowledge covering general truths of the operation of general laws, esp. as obtained and tested through scientific method and concerned with the physical world” (Science Def… ). Animals are the closest species to humans. Animals have feelings, emotions and passions. Science is what shows what makes us different from animals. Other than the fact that we humans walk on two legs and we do not have noticeable tails, science shows that humans have the ability to reason and that is what makes us different from animals. “A theory is an idea that is suggested or presented as possibly true, but that is not known or proven
In the past, mental illness was taboo to discuss and there was fear surrounding the topic. However, remarkable strides have been made in figuring out the causes of the disease and weighing the most effective treatments specialized for each specific disease. According to the American Psychotic Association, “A mental illness is a medical condition that disrupts a person's thinking, feeling, mood, ability to relate to others and daily functioning. Just as diabetes is a disorder of the pancreas, mental illnesses are medical conditions that often result in a diminished capacity for coping with the ordinary demands of life.”
Mental disorders are rapidly becoming more common with each new generation born in the world. Currently, nearly one in two people suffer from some form of depression, anxiety, or other mental health problem at some point in their lives (Editor). With so many people suffering from their mental illnesses, steps have been taken in order to get help needed for these people but progress has been slow. In the medical world, hospitals are treating those with physical problems with more care than those with mental problems. Prescription drugs can only do so much helping the mentally ill go through their daily lives and more should be done to help those who need more than medicine to cope with their illness. Mental health should be considered just as important as physical health because of how advanced physical healing is, how the public reacts to those with mental illness, and due to the consequences that could happen if the illness is not correctly helped.