Guest Blogger Dr. Allen Frances on the Dangers of Premature Diagnosis
We've talked before about psychiatric diagnoses and whether the label can be part of the problem. See Diagnostic Labels that Change Lives, for starters.
Today, Dr. Allen Frances joins us to talk about whether a diagnosis with a poor prognosis can become a self-fulfilling prophecy. I'll leave you to decide.
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The Dangers Of Premature Diagnosis
Psychiatric diagnosis is a serious business. Done well, it can
significantly help a life, sometimes save it. Done carelessly, it can
lead to disaster, even to premature death. I have been witness to
many thousands of patients who benefited greatly from psychiatric
diagnosis and treatment. But I have also seen many hundreds who have
been harmed by it. When you lose a son partly as the result of a
premature and wrong diagnosis, it ignites in you a painful and prolonged
search for answers. Suzanne Beachy shares her deep and heartfelt
perspective here.
Ms. Beachy writes:
I, along with a growing number of fed-up mental
health consumers and family members, believe that disability and loss of
hope can often be made worse by premature diagnosis that highlights
weakness, ignores strengths, and predicts a dire prognosis based on
meager evidence. Jumping to a diagnosis of schizophrenia and
starting long-term pharmaceutical treatments can turn a potentially
temporary problem into a chronic o...
Source: Shrink Rap - Category: Psychiatrists and Psychologists Authors: Dinah Source Type: blogs
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