Summary: September 2, 2007: Doctor Anonymous on Depression Overdiagnosis Topics include: * DrA on Skype (not a soundboard). Dinah relished the memory of Podcast #24. Check out DrA's blog, doctoranonymous.blogspot.com. * Is Depression Overdiagnosed? We discuss two point-counterpoint pieces in the August 18 2007 issue of BMJ (British Medical Journal). The YES piece is written by Gordon Parker, who believes there is a trend to turn "sadness" into a medical condition: "The ease of assigning a diagnosis of clinical depression, even of major depression, has rebounded on psychiatry, blunting clarification of causes and treatment specificity." The NO piece is written by Ian Hickie, who argues that despite the benefits of increased rates of diagnosis, many people with depression continue to go unrecognized, untreated, and impaired: "The increased rate of diagnosis has had other benefits, including reduced stigma, removal of structural impediments to employment and health benefits, increased access to life insurance, improved physical health outcomes, reduced secondary alcohol and drug misuse, and wider public understanding of the risks and benefits of coming forward for care." Find online comments on these articles at BMJ's website here. * Further discussion about the symptoms of major depression, subsyndromal depression, dysthymia, substance abuse, the influence of the pharmaceutical industry, depression screening, access-to-care problems, inpatient bed capacity problems, per capita psychiatrists and psychologists, stigma about mental illness, primary care management of depression, emergency evaluations. * We digress into hot McDonald's coffee, Twinkies, and chocolate. Also, check out DrA's new talk show at doctoranonymous.com. Send us your general questions at mythreeshrinksATgmailDOTcom.Go to http://mythreeshrinks.com for show notes with links.
