The critical approach of medical anthropology takes a deeper look at the healthcare systems within a society. The aspects examined include the social, political, and economic factors that influence the way a particular culture understands an illness. In western culture one of the biggest aspects studied by anthropologists is biomedicine. By far biomedicine is the most popular forms of health care and is often thought of as a universal truth that is resistant to cultural influences. There are two different claims to biomedicine, the claim of objectivity and the claim of universality. The claim of objectivity see biomedicine as value-neural and free from the influence of culture, while the claim of objectivity sees biomedicine as a direct representation of nature.
Generalized Anxiety disorder was first defined in 1980 as "a disorder of uncontrollable and diffuse anxiety or worry that is excessive or unrealistic and lasts 1 month or longer", prior to 1980 it was known as "anxiety neurosis". With this new diagnosis of GAD thee was much debate as to whether or not GAD was it's own disorder or if it stemmed from another primary disorder. The latter seemed to be the most popular opinion as people were leery at first the was made evident by the first round of Epidemiologic Catchment Area survey. Later however people came to accept Generalized Anxiety disorder as a primary disorder (Elizabeth).
From this weeks lectures, I have learned that biomedicine has experience two main changes, medicalization and biomedicalizaton. The medicalization trend began in 1950 and lasted until about 1985 when biomedicalization started to arise. Medicalization was people learning how to treat medical disorders through various medications and procedures. It was more focused on bringing people back to health. Biomedicalizaton on the other hand took medicalization a step further by using biotechnologies such as implants, surgeries and medications to enhance the human body, take it beyond the point of healthy. I would have to say that GAD is a more medicalized disorder, there are many medications on the market such as Xanax that help patients suppress their constant feelings of worry but there are no procedures that enhance the body taking away anxiety/stress as a whole. It is natural for people to feel anxious at moments in there life and it would not be beneficial to take this feeling away, as it often time gives us the motivation to complete specific tasks such as studying for exam.
From this weeks lectures, I have learned that biomedicine has experience two main changes, medicalization and biomedicalizaton. The medicalization trend began in 1950 and lasted until about 1985 when biomedicalization started to arise. Medicalization was people learning how to treat medical disorders through various medications and procedures. It was more focused on bringing people back to health. Biomedicalizaton on the other hand took medicalization a step further by using biotechnologies such as implants, surgeries and medications to enhance the human body, take it beyond the point of healthy. I would have to say that GAD is a more medicalized disorder, there are many medications on the market such as Xanax that help patients suppress their constant feelings of worry but there are no procedures that enhance the body taking away anxiety/stress as a whole. It is natural for people to feel anxious at moments in there life and it would not be beneficial to take this feeling away, as it often time gives us the motivation to complete specific tasks such as studying for exam.
Although GAD is a chronic disorder, Americans don't seem as opinionated about the disorder, I think this has something to do with the fact that anxiety in itself is a natural feeling so in a way they can somewhat relate to the feeling of anxiety. With the invention of new technologies its as though Americans are overwhelming themselves, constantly connected to their careers, family and friends which sounds ideal but can become stressful. The youtube video above explains this idea about technology increasing anxiety. I think that because of our materialistic ways in the West we have created a more anxiety for ourselves which is why those not suffering from GAD do not see it as a very serious disorder.
Bibliography:
Elizabeth A Hoge. "Generalized Anxiety Disorder." Focus Access 2004. Accessed August 9, 2013. http://focus.psychiatryonline.org/article.aspx?articleID=49764
Stefanie Engler. "Society Anxiety and Technology." YouTube Access March 5, 2013. Accessed August 9, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE7P6q_X-5Q
Stefanie Engler. "Society Anxiety and Technology." YouTube Access March 5, 2013. Accessed August 9, 2013. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZE7P6q_X-5Q