medikaliseerumist

Medikaliseerumine, often translated as medicalization, refers to the process by which human conditions and experiences that were not previously considered medical problems come to be defined and treated as such. This involves the expansion of medical knowledge, practice, and authority into new areas of life. Factors contributing to medicalization include the development of new diagnostic tools and medical technologies, the influence of pharmaceutical companies, and the increasing reliance on medical professionals for solutions to social and personal issues.

The concept of medicalization highlights how societal norms and values can shape what is considered a medical condition. For instance, behaviors once seen as character flaws or normal variations in human experience might be reclassified as illnesses requiring medical intervention. This can lead to increased diagnoses, prescriptions, and medical treatments for a wider range of human experiences. While medicalization can offer benefits by providing treatments for previously unaddressed suffering, it also raises concerns about over-diagnosis, over-treatment, and the potential for medical solutions to overshadow social or psychological approaches. Critics argue that it can pathologize normal life events and reduce individual agency by framing problems as biological issues rather than social or personal ones.