Sex Differences in Psychiatric Diagnosis and Treatment

Abstract

<p>This study addresses differential diagnosis and treatment in psychiatry based on sex differences. It attempts to explain why women are diagnosed and treated differently from men, and to investigate the nature of psychiatric practice, in this regard.</p> <p>For the investigation, the thesis is in three parts. First, an analysis of the data on diagnosis and treatment of mental illness, so called. Secondly, and analysis of three theories which attempt to account for the phenomenon of psychiatric social control, i.e . the medical model of mental illness, labelling theory and feminism. Finally, a theoretical framework is presented which attempts to avoid the inadequacies of the other theoretical approaches to the problem.</p> <p>The fundamental argument in the thesis is that psychiatry acts to suppress those not directly involved in wage labour. It acts to redefine the social problems generated by capital as the indivudal problems of its victims.</p>