Mental Health: Alternatives to the Medical Model

Question 1

What does Szasz mean that there is “no such thing as mental illness”?

Answer 1

• Medical and political construct
• A way of labelling behaviour that society doesn’t understand or like
• Physical illnesses can be misdiagnosed as mental illnesses

Question 2

What does Szasz mean by “the medicalisation of disturbing or disturbed behaviours”?

Answer 2

• 16th century saw a movement away from seeing suffering as something ministered to by individuals themselves
• Movement towards requiring people to endure medical treatment
• Treated the same way physical diseases are
• Szasz says that people are becoming “passive victims” rather than “active players”

Question 3

What does Szasz mean by describing mental illness as a “myth”?

Answer 3

• No such thing as mental illness
• Mental ilness describes behaviours that disturb others or the self
• He says if there is a biological cause, then it was never a mental illness but an undiagnosed bodily illness
• Coercive treatment forced

Question 4

What does Szasz mean when he says mental illness is a metaphor?

Answer 4

• Disturbed/abnormal behaviour
• Behaviour that society doesn’t like or understand