| In last weeks New York Times Sunday Magazine, an | | | | countless studies (either as an alternative or in |
| article written by Daniel Carlat, M.D., entitled Mind over | | | | conjunction with psychotropic medications), it is |
| Meds, raises the hotly debated issue of the value of | | | | common sense that mental health professionals need |
| psychotherapy versus the value of psychotropic | | | | to know the patient sitting in front them in order to |
| medications for treating mental illness. It also raises the | | | | provide effective care. |
| issue of the unfortunate state of mental health care | | | | Dr. Carlat's conclusion that psychiatry needs to |
| that is provided in this country. | | | | assume a more holistic approach that incorporates |
| Dr. Carlat, a psychiatrist and associate clinical | | | | supportive psychotherapy is certainly a step in the right |
| professor of psychiatry at Tufts University School of | | | | direction, but it does not address the underlying issue. |
| Medicine, discusses that after several years of | | | | Specifically, the "disease model" that is prevalent in our |
| practicing he has come to the realization that to | | | | culture emphasizes treatment of pathology rather than |
| effectively treat his patients it is necessary to do more | | | | promotion of healthy living. It is a reactive approach |
| than simply diagnose and dispense medication, but also | | | | that simply strives to reduce symptoms. By adopting a |
| get to know them and provide supportive | | | | preventive model to mental health we can reduce the |
| psychotherapy. I support Dr. Carlat's comments and | | | | incidence and severity of mental illness, improve the |
| the initiative he has taken to speak out about this very | | | | overall well-being of our society, as well as cut the |
| important topic. I hope that his article is one of several | | | | costs necessary to treat these diseases by drastic |
| efforts that are made by the field of psychiatry to | | | | amounts. |
| evolve beyond merely providing medication for the | | | | Moreover, there is an abundance of research, such as |
| treatment of mental health issues. | | | | findings from the burgeoning field of Positive |
| Nonetheless, I find it disturbing that getting to know and | | | | Psychology, which demonstrate that by identifying and |
| understand one's own patient instead of trying to peg | | | | fostering individual strengths/talents we can not only |
| them into a diagnostic category would be a revelation | | | | alleviate suffering but also enable people to achieve |
| or a novel concept. Beyond the fact that the efficacy | | | | more fulfilling and meaningful lives. |
| of psychotherapy has been long established by | | | | |