An article at the Psychiatric News site, "Big Pharma and American Psychiatry" discusses the relationship between the pharmaceutical companies and the psychiatric community in the United States. Dr. Steven Sharfstein makes some interesting observations about this relationship.
"One of the charges against psychiatry that was discussed in the resultant media coverage is that many patients are being prescribed the wrong drugs or drugs they don't need. These charges are true, but it is not psychiatry's fault—it is the fault of the broken health care system that the United States appears to be willing to endure. As we address these Big Pharma issues, we must examine the fact that as a profession, we have allowed the biopsychosocial model to become the bio-bio-bio model. In a time of economic constraint, a "pill and an appointment" has dominated treatment (emphasis added). We must work hard to end this situation and get involved in advocacy to reform our health care system from the bottom up."
This is a crucial point and a serious point of contention for therapists. It is especially relevant when talking about moods and depression. I see so many clients who have experienced a significant loss (i.e. death of a loved one, loss of employment, loss of health, etc.) who are diagnosed with "depression" and given a pill. The real problem is simple grief, but they are not allowed to grieve. They are expected to take their pill and "get over it". This is simply wrong not to mention unhealthy. They are then confused when the pill doesn't "work" and they continue to feel bad without any resolution. They may carry on like this for years before seeking talk therapy to actually work through their grief.
Likewise, I see many clients who have experienced a serious trauma, either in childhood or as an adult. They are very emotionally labile as a result. This is interpreted as "mood swings", diagnosed as Bipolar Disorder and they are put on heavy duty tranquilizers or antipsychotics. This does not address the emotions that are welling up and resolve them. It does not address the trauma. It merely keeps them heavily sedated in a mental straight jacket. They don't learn to face adversity, they don't grow from having survived the ordeal, they don't gain wisdom or develop coping skills from having worked through a traumatic event. They simply go through life sedated.
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