Sign In
Not register? Register Now!
Essay Available:
Pages:
10 pages/β‰ˆ2750 words
Sources:
Check Instructions
Style:
APA
Subject:
Social Sciences
Type:
Essay
Language:
English (U.S.)
Document:
MS Word
Date:
Total cost:
$ 48.6
Topic:

Reflection Paper: Diagnosis and Treatment in Mental Health, a cynical perspective

Essay Instructions:

Write a ten-page paper on the theme of "Diagnosis and treatment of mental health" Specifically speaking to the themes of overdiagnosis through mass screening as well as iatrogenic harm through polypharmacy.
This paper specifically envisions application of the literature to
social work practice based on the given theme. Papers will be graded on critical
thinking, ability to envision creative application of concepts to practice, and
grammar/APA. Questions to consider may include: How does the given concept/theme
currently interface with mental health services? Do changes need to be made to existing
systems? What might these changes look like? What impact would these changes have
on public and/or individual health? You MUST reference your textbook or course
readings to some extent in this assignment (minimum of three academic references). As
this is a reflection paper, you may use “I” statements but remember that this is an
academic assignment so please avoid informal/chatty tone
• Critically analyze the Medical Model as it currently operates in the Canadian mental
health system, identifying its strengths, weaknesses in terms of its implications for
both the quality of life for people with mental illnesses and for service design and
structure;
• Articulate an understanding of the format and application of DSM V- ; • Examine
various theoretical models as it is currently practiced in the Canadian mental health
system, identifying its strengths and weaknesses in terms of its implications for both
the quality of life for people with mental illnesses and for service design and
structure;
• Identify the core elements of the mental health system in British Columbia and
evaluate this system in relation to its effectiveness in meeting the needs of people
with mental illnesses;
• Critically analyze the current key issues facing people with mental illness in Canada,
within their historical, philosophical and political dimensions. There will be particular
emphasis on the ways in which people with mental illness are marginalized and
stigmatized
• Critically analyze the fit between the mental health system and other service
delivery systems such as the family services system, the correctional system, income
support systems, education and employment systems, etc.;
• Develop and critique the clinical knowledge and skills of the social worker on a
mental health intervention team;
• Practice reflexivity in relation to the effective practice of social work in a mental
health setting.
Required Texts:
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th
ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.
Corcoran, J. and Walsh, J. (2016) Clinical Assessment and Diagnosis in Social Work Practice
(3rd Edition). New York: Oxford University Press.
LeFrancios, B., Menzies, R., & Reaume, G. (Eds). (2013). Mad Matters: A Critical Reader in
Canadian Mad Studies. Toronto: Canadian Scholars’ Press Inc.
Caplan, R.B. and Caplan, G. (2001). Helping the Helpers Not to Harm: Iatrogenic Damage and
Community Mental Health. Routledge.
Breggin, P. (2001). Talking Back to Ritalin: What Doctors Aren't Telling You About Stimulants and
ADHD. Da Capo Press.
Moncrieff, J. (2009). The Myth of a Chemical Cure: A Critique of Psychiatric Drug Treatment.
Palgrave Macmillan.
Morley, C, (2003). Towards critical social work practice in mental health: A review. Journal of
Progressive Human Services, 14(1):61-84.

Essay Sample Content Preview:

Over Diagnosis and Iatrogenic harm in Mental Illness
Students Name
Institutional Affiliation
The prevalence of mental disorders in Canada is growing and is becoming a public concern but the majority of people who satisfy the diagnostic criteria for mental illness do not access the appropriate treatment. In Canada 1 out of 5 people experience a mental disorder in their lifetime and evidence demonstrates that the number of people who meet the diagnostic criteria for mental illness is increasing. This raises a number of questions in regard to the diagnosis and treatment of this mental illness in the society. It is with no doubt that ineffective and harmful healthcare practices are not new, but the rate of over diagnosis and overtreatment has grown exponentially. This raises a number of questions in the whole healthcare system in the society. The first question that arises is what guides professional decision making in the diagnosis of mental disorders and does the professional codes and ethics contributed to this “over-diagnosis?” Medical practitioners have revised their guiding principles but still over-diagnosis remains raising the question “were this trend of over-diagnosis existing long before?
I am convinced that the concerns of over diagnosis and iatrogenic harm in mental disorders need to be addressed. However, I view them to be entirely separate and complex issues from the DSM V spectrum and the reliance of various mental disorders as a gauge of satisfying the quality of diagnosis (Corcoran & Walsh, 2010). I do believe that it is the quality of diagnoses (having the ability to translate diagnostic criteria to symptoms in an accurate manner) that affects “over diagnosis” and not the awareness levels of the patients. Inaccurate translation leads to labelling and medicalizing conditions that do not need any medicines. Medicalization in itself is wrong because at this point the medicine institution has overstepped its limits. Misinterpretation of symptoms can be attributed to DSM due to its general classification of disorders making physician wrongly recognize a condition as a medical problem. This demonstrates inadequacy in the identification of underlying causes of the condition resulting in physicians taking inadequate measures in eliminating the problem. DSM V focuses on medicalization rather than on identifying alternate solutions to the problem resulting in the issues of over diagnosing and iatrogenic harm (Hoffman, 2016). Parens puts this into a clear perspective by saying:
…as medicine focuses on changing individual’s bodies to reduce suffering, its increasing influence steals attention and resources away from changing the social structures and expectations that can produce such suffering in the first place. The idea is that, for example, rather than changing the bodies of shy people with drugs, we could change our expectations of how people have in novel situations; again, doing so, would exemplify the virtue of learning to affirm natural variation. Further, changing social expectations would be fairer to individuals, who instead of changing their bodies to better fit dominant norms, could, again, be affirmed in their norm challenging variation” (Parens, 2013 ...
Updated on
Get the Whole Paper!
Not exactly what you need?
Do you need a custom essay? Order right now:
Order

πŸ‘€ Other Visitors are Viewing These APA Essay Samples:

HIRE A WRITER FROM $11.95 / PAGE
ORDER WITH 15% DISCOUNT!
Order Now