Citation

Pridmore S. Malays. J. Med. Sci. 2011; 18(4): 77-82.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2011, School of Medical Sciences, Universiti Sains Malaysia)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Medicalisation is the misclassifcation of non-medical problems as medical problems. A common form of medicalisation is the misclassifcation of normal distress as a mental disorder (usually a mood disorder). Suicide is medicalised when it is considered a medical diagnosis per se, when it is considered to be secondary to a mental disorder when no mental disorder is present, and when no mental disorder is present but the management of suicidal behaviour associated with distress is believed to be the sole responsibility of mental health professionals. In the West, psychological autopsies have led to the belief that all or almost all suicide is the result of mental disorder. However, there are reservations about the scientifc status of such studies. The actions of psychological autopsy researchers, coroners/magistrates, police, policy writers, and grieving relatives all contribute. Medicalisation of suicide has the potential to distort research fndings, and caution is recommended. © Penerbit Universiti Sains Malaysia, 2011.

Language: en

Keywords

Prevention; human; mental health; Depression; suicide; Suicide; autopsy; Mental health; major depression; suicidal behavior; article; mental disease; disease association; differential diagnosis; distress syndrome; psychologic assessment; anxiety disorder; diagnostic error; world health organization; Terminology; diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders; medicalisation; Western world