SOC101Y1 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Thomas Szasz, Medicalization, Adult Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Document Summary
What we understand to be the cause of a problem affects many things: prevention, treatment, response, policy, ideology cause. Reactions are most effective when accurately identifying the. General definition: the framing of a problem or situation so that it is understood to some degree as the result of a medical condition. Sociological definition: the framing of a social problem so that it is understood and reacted to as though it is a medical issue. Mental illness was traditionally a problem of family and church. 1700s public institutions began emerging in europe: when things were particularly bad we began looking at causes like witch craft (religion) Huge increase in late 1800s after the enlightenment: birth of insane asylum. Consistent rise in commitment until the 1960. Problem of overcrowding in the 1950s and 1960s. Researchers like goffman and rosenhan played a big part: started to poke holes in the committed treatment, study on asylums, these institutions saw a lot of recidivism.
