Is Mental Illness Over-Diagnosed or Better Recognised? An Institutional and Management Perspective
Authors
Hiba Ahmad
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This essay will examine the cause of the considerable rise in mental illness, whether it be due to over-diagnosis or recognition of previously neglected conditions. By utilising diagnostic trends and research, it argues that both processes can be true. The identification of genuine disorders has increased due to the increase in public awareness and reduced stigma around mental illness. However, the rise of diagnoses can stem from pharmaceutical business’ financial incentives, and can encourage the medicalisation of normal experiences of stress and emotional difficulty. The essay will evaluate the economic and ethical implications of the increased diagnoses and concludes that the main issue is not the number of diagnoses, but the conditions under which they are applied. Ultimately, this essay insinuates that mental illness is both over-diagnosed and better recognised and requires practical steps from organisations and policymakers to control incentives and strive for genuine patient benefit rather than ticking a financial box.
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Authors
Hiba Ahmad
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References:
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