Re:Any experience with subjects suffering from schizophrenia and childhood abuse

The 295/300 Dx discussion raises issues of professional ethics and pejorative implications for patients. It may reflect disguised attitudes about patients that have symptoms/disorders/behaviors that require extra professional time/effort and lead some laypersons and clinicians to employ a variation of the nature (schizophrenia) versus nurture (dissociation) dichotomy.

Of course factors such as medical complications (e.g., organicity, infections, Rx side effects, etc.) may affect and/or account for some symptoms. As well, dual diagnoses are often appropriate with multiple and complex symptoms. However, diagnoses lose their value when they are not utilized for their intended purposes, such as guiding professionals to develop appropriate treatments and to communicate with others qualified to use the terms.

Clearly throughout the history of psychiatry and clinical psychology mental illness labels have been used to stigmatize, demean, scapegoat, and manipulate people by laypersons, professionals, and society. There are sufficient accounts in the history of the mental health professions about the abuses by some that use "name calling" under the guise of diagnosis. The abuse of psychiatric terms has been especially evident regarding the concepts of “Schizophrenia,” “DID,” and “Personality Disorders.”

Diagnostic labels may imply that the person has an inherent (genetic) defect or was the victim of circumstances (environmental). Licensed and experienced professionals rarely feel a need to pigeonhole a patient (especially in public forums) and are comfortable working with private tentative diagnoses and prominent features while they develop more information.

“Schizophrenia as a defense?” This would be indeed a discovery if in fact a defense mechanism were inherited. Don’t most psychiatrist believe it is a condition that develops from a genetic susceptibility?

Shouldn’t psychotherapists (psychiatrists, psychologists, etc.) assist individuals, treat their conditions, and provide relief for symptoms, more than wedge them into a diagnostic category? Once an individual has been given a label the subsequent responses often become dictated by the set of standard treatments and reactions to the stereotype.

Forum message serve to expound the pertinent concepts, though sometimes it seems professionals may be better served if they would pick-up the telephone and arrange for a consultation or a meeting to discuss the material.

Replies:

Response to this criticism. , by Sandra Paulsen Inobe PhD, 08/11/03 Re:Response to this criticism. , by Advocate, 08/12/03 Re:Response to this criticism. , by Sandra Paulsen Inobe PhD, 08/12/03 Re:Response to this criticism. , by Pravir1, 08/12/03 Re:Response to this criticism. , by Sandra Paulsen Inobe PhD, 08/12/03

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