The Diagnosis Trap. About Psychotherapists Who Invent More and More Diseases and Help People Less

Is every person who goes to see a psychotherapist truly a sick person? Or do they just need professional help in a life crisis? In a session with a psychotherapist, a person may discover things about themselves that they previously had no idea about. For example, that they exhibit a weakness of character that needs to be overcome; that they lack the ability to form attachments, which prevents them from finding happiness in relationships; or that they are developing bipolar—or some other—disorder. In other words, some common psychological issues are deemed worthy of therapy, and therefore require treatment—and often medication. Michael Mari notes that state control has changed psychotherapy. To be able to support people with ordinary problems or in crisis situations, it is now necessary to assign a “sick” diagnosis and determine a treatment system that must guarantee a result.