Living with Depression: Illness and Identity Turning Pointsfrom the SAGE Social Science Collections. All Rights Reserved.Instructions: Read the article “Mental Illness, Psychiatric Drugs,...

Summary:
In his article “Mental Illness, Psychiatric Drugs, and the Elusive Self”, David Karp delves into the impact of psychiatric drugs on one's sense of self. He suggests that the use of psychiatric drugs raises questions about the nature of the self, as they can change one's experience of oneself and can blur the boundaries between what is considered normal and abnormal behavior. Karp also argues that the concept of mental illness itself is problematic, as it assumes a clear distinction between normal and abnormal behavior, which is often based on social norms and expectations (Karp, 2018).
The author draws on the experiences of individuals who have taken psychiatric drugs and highlights the complex and often contradictory nature of their effects. For instance, some individuals may experience a sense of relief from their symptoms, while others may feel as if their authentic self has been compromised (Breggin, 2015). Karp suggests that this may be due to the way in which psychiatric drugs work, which is to target specific neurotransmitters in the brain rather than the whole person. This approach, he argues, can result in a reductionist understanding of mental illness and the self (David, 2010).
Moreover, Karp discusses the role of the medical model in psychiatry, which views mental illness as a disease to...