The medical model can be defined as the set of processes in which all medical practitioners are trained. The model of mental illness is a determinist which involves cognitive and biological factors of mental disorders. For example, it characterizes cognitive defective to genetic causes and hormonal imbalances. The mental illnesses originate from cognitive factors; the model helps the medical practitioners treat the illnesses as a physical disease and offer medication as the treatment option. The medications usually change the brain chemistry and are responsible for modifying the chemical responsible for challenges with mood, anxieties, perceptions, and other issues. Prescribing the correct dosage to a patient helps bring a positive impact.
However, the medical model has some weaknesses, such as having difficulties describing exactly what happens in psychotherapy. In addition to unprecise descriptions, it has supported the false belief that the health duplexity of mental and biological challenges is treated separately. Additionally, it emphasizes the impairments and disabilities other than a person’s capabilities and wellness (Kretzer et al., 2011). The model also gives support to paternalism in medicine rather than empowering patients. The model might not fully describe what is happening to an individual with a mental disorder. It is usually based on assumptions that physical or organic causes lead to mental illnesses. It argues that the illnesses are associated with brain performance and physical structure. The model often assumes the cause of the mental illness after observing certain symptoms.
Delegate your assignment to our experts and they will do the rest.
For example, an individual might be inactive, either have not slept well or eaten well and is quiet. Using the model, the person’s behavior can be referred to as a depression. The question arises in whether the individual has an illness called depression with a biological cause and a possible cure (Hart & Ksir, 2018). The medical practitioners make decisions concerning an individual’s behavior based on the clinical interview. Just asking questions will make the physician judge a patient to be exhibiting some abnormal behaviors. The decision is based heavily on what other people who know the patient would say.
References
Hart, C., & Ksir, C. J. (2018). Medication for Mental Disorders. In Drugs, Society, and Human Behavior (17 ed., pp. 161-180). Mcgraw Hill Education. https://ambassadored.vitalsource.com/#/books/9781260241006/cfi/6/40!/4/2/2/2/2@0:0
Kretzer, J. S., Deluca, J., & Caplan, B. (2011). Medical Model. Encyclopedia of Clinical Neuropsychology . https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79948-3_2131
