LIBRI DI PETER CONRAD

The Shifting Engines of Medicalization - Social scientists and other analysts have written about medicalization since at least the 1970s. While early critics of medicalization focused on psychiatry (Szasz, 1970) or a more general notion of medical imperialism (Illich, 1975), sociologists began to examine the processes of medicalization and the expanding realm of medicine (Freidson, 1970; Zola, 1972). As sociological studies on medicalization accumulated (see Conrad, 1992; 2000) it became clear that medicalization went far beyond psychiatry and was not always the product of medical imperialism, but of more complex social forces. The essence of medicalization became the definitional issue: defining a problem in medical terms, usually as an illness or disorder, or using a medical intervention to treat it. While the medicalization process could be bidirectional and partial rather than complete, there is strong evidence for expansion rather than contraction of medical jurisdiction.

Keywords: consumerism, managed care, medicalization, medicine, ADHD, sociology of health.

Parole chiave: consumerismo, managed care, medicalizzazione, medicina, ADHD, sociologia della salute.

Le mutevoli spinte della medicalizzazione - Social scientists and other analysts have written about medicalization since at least the 1970s. While early critics of medicalization focused on psychiatry (Szasz, 1970) or a more general notion of medical imperialism (Illich, 1975), sociologists began to examine the processes of medicalization and the expanding realm of medicine (Freidson, 1970; Zola, 1972). As sociological studies on medicalization accumulated (see Conrad, 1992; 2000) it became clear that medicalization went far beyond psychiatry and was not always the product of medical imperialism, but of more complex social forces. The essence of medicalization became the definitional issue: defining a problem in medical terms, usually as an illness or disorder, or using a medical intervention to treat it. While the medicalization process could be bidirectional and partial rather than complete, there is strong evidence for expansion rather than contraction of medical jurisdiction.

Keywords: consumerism, managed care, medicalization, medicine, ADHD, sociology of health.

Parole chiave: consumerismo, managed care, medicalizzazione, medicina, ADHD, sociologia della salute.

In many affluent societies, we are experiencing a growing medicalization of everyday life. Some human conditions, which were once considered normal, are now considered pathological. Furthermore, in many Western countries there has been an incredible increase in mental disorders such as social anxiety, ADHD, depression and bipolar disorder, which raises questions about the diagnostic criteria on which pharmaceuticals are prescribed. This volume presents updated answers to the dilemmas emerging from the ongoing medicalization of everyday life.

In molti Paesi ricchi si assiste a una crescente medicalizzazione della vita quotidiana. Alcune condizioni umane, una volta assunte come normali, sono ora considerate patologiche. Inoltre, si registra un incredibile aumento dei disturbi mentali (ansia sociale, ADHD, depressione, disturbo bipolare) che induce sospetti circa i criteri diagnostici adottati. Il volume cerca di rispondere, in termini sociologici, ai principali interrogativi che emergono da questa crescente medicalizzazione della vita.