The "catch-all" diagnosis

The “catch-all” diagnosis

A member named Larry has a bone to pick.

Larry wrote in response to the e-Alert “Life is Good” (7/31/07), in which I made the point that many people with mild depression would probably find all the benefits they need in certain supplements before resorting to powerful psychotropic drugs. And Larry agrees with that, but took exception to a couple of comments.

Larry: “You stated that in some cases depression is caused by faulty ‘brain chemistry’. I would point out that there is no scientific evidence at all that ‘brain chemistry’ is the cause of depression or any other ‘mental illness’. If that were the case there would be tests, say blood tests, or biopsies, or whatever, which would detect the defective state and identify who was ‘depressed’ or not. There are no such tests. The only evidence of altered brain chemistry in those ‘mentally ill’ is in fact found in individuals AFTER they have taken psychiatric drugs. There is considerable evidence that psychiatric drugs, particularly SSRIs, can damage the brain.

“And of course you know that the expression ‘mentally ill’ is at best a metaphor. There is not illness as in a physical illness like diphtheria or small pox, which can be identified. The term ‘illness’ was adopted in psychiatric circles and promoted by drug companies to lend credibility to an emotional state or condition so drugs could be used to ‘treat’ the ‘illness’. It has now gotten to the point that virtually every emotion or even attitude a person has can be classified as a ‘mental illness’ and treated with a drug.”

That excellent point is supported by an article that appeared last month in the British Medical Journal. The author – Professor Gordon Parker – calls depression a “catch-all” diagnosis, and notes that the milder, more common experiences of depression are at risk of being pathologized by the medical establishment.

Prof. Parker conducted a study of 242 teachers and found that more than 75 percent of them met the current criteria for depression.

You can find the e-Alert “Life is Good” at this link: http://www.hsionline.com/ealerts/ea200707/ea20070731a.html

Sources:
“Depression is ‘Over-Diagnosed'” BBC News, 8/17/07, news.bbc.co.uk