Szasz - issues in mental health

Question 1

Szasz’s main points

Answer 1

1. Mental illness is a myth, not a disease that can be scientifically proven.
2. Medical model is now the only way of dealing with people who behave differently.
3. Government decides what illnesses exist, control all regulation and funding.
4. Mental hospitals are more like prisons to control peoples’ behaviour.
5. Economic issues – big business in pharmaceuticals and treatments to treat mentally ill.
6. Mentally ill people are actively trying to cope in the world using whatever coping mechanisms they can. They are not passive players to biological forces.
7. People are deprived of the freedom to behave in the way they choose because of a disease. This also has implications for ‘insanity’ as a defence.
8. We need to understand the reasons for a person’s actions by respecting, understanding and helping them, not diagnosing under a loose-fitting definition.

Question 2

Szasz’s reasons against the medical model are unacceptable

Answer 2

1. The causes of mental illness: there is no identifiable cause like an infection, or nutritional deficiency. It is a way of coping. It is a mistake to keep looking for biological causes.
2. No alternative legal approach – government has become involved. Mental illness is not based on scientific research
3. It denies people freedom and responsibility to choose how to behave. They are coerced and forced into diagnosis and treatment. This is unethical.
4. Diagnosis is subjective, not based on scientific assessment. Mental illness is judging the ‘bad’ behaviour of people.
5. Medical model is dehumanising, ignores suffering of person. Labels are constructed due to medicalisation of disturbed behaviour.
6. Medical model has replaced religious view of mental suffering.
7. Alternative ways – understanding the patient, help them help themselves. Medical treatments do not work, only supress symptoms.