The Sociology of Mental Illness

The Sociology of Mental IllnessWithin this report I aim to outline the biomedical mannequin, investigating whether it sewer be use to assess rational unwellness. I leave comp atomic number 18 both(prenominal) neighborly realism and kindly constructionism with regards to mental illness and assess the role of the psychiatrical profession from the mintpoint of functionalist theory.Firstly, the biomedical model is the scientific diagnosis of a condition which is r individuallyed by quantitative and qualitative measures, often disregarding mental and sociological factors. That world said, can the biomedical model of health rightfully measure a persons mental health? Many mental health issues often assimilate un measurable (scientifically) factors and symptoms, often having blurred lines between a common set of factors making it hard to distinguish between a select group of illness. In 1952 the American psychiatric association promulgated the D.S.M. (Diagnostic and Statist ical Manual of Mental Disorders) which clearly outlined the symptoms and forcefulnesss of a range of mental illness. Since its first publication, the D.S.M. has grown from featuring 22 mental disorders, to overviewing over 297 diagnosable issues.While at that place be no standardized medical laboratory tests to diagnose mental health issues (bar those classed as organic AND functional mental illness, which derive from brain impairment such as Alzheimers etc.), these will come into play during diagnosis to ensure there is no otherwise causation for the patients symptoms. In theory these investigative measures can be mootd to be the biomedical involvement for the diagnosis (in respect to solely functional mental illness such as depression etc.). The key players now would be the psychologist, psychiatrist and trained mental health professionals who are medically provide to diagnose such issues.While the biomedical hail focuses itself on acquaintance and the causations being ob jective and measurable, the theory of lay opinion coverts the ideology of kindly construction, economical factors and neighborly conformity. Lay opinion focuses on behavioural patterns and socio-economical enter upon a persons life, and the subsequent impact these have upon their mental state. This theoretical approach can be realisen as highly influential when determining a service users mental state, the practiti wholenessrs diagnosis being based upon observations of an individuals behavioural characteristics which fit to the D.S.M and I.C.D. (international classification of diseases). Again, despite the highly theoretical methodology which leads to diagnosis, within these methods we see standardized tests and assessments, which can in fact be construed as scientific as they set about to differentiate between normal and anomalous using a standardized set of questions and observational directives.There are arguments from either side as to the theoretical basis of psychiatry, on one establish Thomas Szasz famously quoted Its not science. Its governance and economics. Thats what psychiatry is politics and economics. Behavior control, it is not science, it is not medicine (cchrint.org, 2017) Szasz believed that the practice of psychiatry was all told influenced by the state, creating a mass of quacks diagnosing with free reign. He argued that there were two radically different kinds of psychiatric practices, consensual and coerced, voluntarily seek and forcibly imposed. (Szasz.com, 2007) his concept was that psychiatry based itself upon the principle of interpretation and genial conformity or a service users behaviour. As mentioned before questions of obsession and imposition upon a patient undergoing assessment take the forefront in Szasz arguments, giving his ideals a typically Marxist approach. More recently the newest variance of the D.S.M. came under fire from the psychiatric community with a number of high-profile articles by professor Allen Frances. (that) highlighted changes to the manual that he argued were examples of over-medicalisation of mental health. These changes included Aspergers syndrome, Disruptive mode dysregulation disorder, Mild cognitive disorder, Generalised anxiety disorder and Major depressive disorder (NHS, 2013).While all arguments for the objective and subjective thesis of psychiatry have their merits, it can be argued that psychiatry as a whole can ONLY be deemed subjective as it uses no scientific model of approach to diagnosis, merely perception, opinion and guidance from the D.S.M and I.C.D. to decipher traits and categorize symptoms.The complaisant realism perspective defines mental illness and the diagnosis of, as having a defined set of abnormal behavioural patterns which can be definitively seen across cultures and societies. Realists argue that despite the fact some illnesses are not recognized or share a common name, the symptoms and actual condition are very much real and observabl e. That being said, on the other hand we have the perspective of loving construction, where by its theorists argue that mental illness is determined by social norms and values.For instance, the mental impairment of post-natal depression. Social realists would argue that the definitive set of symptoms being displayed by the suffering party, would be teeming to determine effect. Constructionists however would argue that the individual could be presenting these symptoms due to their social environment and ideologies of social norms. Due to the nature of the illness, and its unpredictable effect on the individual either of these theories could be applied.Because of the set of diagnosable characteristics and cross association definition, realists could argue that despite its irregularity surrounding time frame, its cause and eventual(prenominal) effect can be clearly categorised without outside in format. That being said, constructionists can argue that the illness is purely defined b y social perception of norms. As the illness can take shape both instantaneously and over a prolonged period of time, the cause and effect could actually be influenced by sociological and environmental issues experienced by the individual, causing stress and ultimately the effects and symptoms of post-natal depression to take hold.The functionalist view of the psychiatric role is one of spacious social standing and stead within the community and society as a whole. Due to their organisational position and social hierarchy, they, as a medical professional, hold great stature and ranking within the framework of functionalist society.Because functionalism bases itself on the premise that each key part (the church, institutions, the family) work together to keep society ravel smoothly, deriving its ideologies from social consensus it is their view that the role of the psychiatrist is primarily cause by the desire to heal the sick (Moore et al, 2010)Because functionalism focuses on c ategorising mental and tangible illness as social deviances due to the upset of balance and roles, they put great importance on the timely rehabilitation and re signifier of individuals.They view the rehabilitation of individuals as necessary coercion so as not to upset social structure. As psychiatrists hold the key to diagnosis of mental health and subsequent re conformity of an individual to social norms, a great precedence is put upon their work.References Jeffrey A. Schaler, Ph.D defining psychiatry, 2007 available at http//www.szasz.com/freeman21.html accessed 20/1/17Moore, S. et al sociology AS for OCR chapter 5 sociology of health page 172, Collins, London, 2010NHS Choices news analysis controversial mental health disembowel DSM-5, 2013 available at http//www.nhs.uk/news/2013/08August/Pages/controversy-mental-health-diagnosis-and-treatment-dsm5.aspx accessed 20/1/17Professor Thomas Szasz Psychiatry as a Human Rights Abuse, 2017 avaliable at https//www.cchrint.org/about- us/co-founder-dr-thomas-szasz/quotes-on-psychiatry-as-a-human-rights-abuse/ accessed 20/1/17