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. _________________________  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: Source Type: blogs