Mental health in medical practice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.57247/riec.vi7.146Keywords:
pathologization, psychological distress, medicalization, healthcare systemAbstract
The essay warns against the practice of healthcare providers attributing psychopathological meanings to human conditions—personal and subjective differences—that fall outside the usual conceptions of normality but do not necessarily constitute mental disorders. It is essential to maintain non-stigmatizing attitudes towards human actions that may seem incomprehensible or irrational but are part of the wide-ranging characteristics of human personality. Failing to take these precautions can lead to or perpetuate a psychiatric-institutional tradition in medical practice, which, either openly or tacitly, acts in a punitive manner or results in the excessive medicalization of conditions beyond the immediate control of the healthcare provider. The appropriate integration of physical, chemical, psychological, and social factors is not always adequately present in the usual training and practice of healthcare agents and/or providers. This contrasts with a cautious and open-minded approach that seeks to understand the hidden meaning of the patient's behaviors and ailments beyond the biomedical and psychopharmacological realm.
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References
Freud, S. (1971) Consejos al médico en el tratamiento psicoanalítico. Tomo 2. En Obras Completas, Tomo 2. Biblioteca Nueva.
Lacan, J. (1971). La dirección de la cura y los principios de su poder. En Escritos II. Siglo XXI Editores.
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