“Mental illness is a real thing. It has real material consequences for people who suffer from it and at the time even the most biological finding reflects social context in very important ways, and so I think psychiatry is better off looking both at biology and at social context and really trying to think of the relationship between these and I think doctors and patients are better off that way.” PeopleThinkingWayTryingImportantRealSufferingSocialMaterialsFindingsConsequenceDoctorsPatientIllnessMental IllnessBiologyBetter OffPsychiatryReal ThingsDoctors And Patients Author:Jonathan Michel Metzl
“Depression as one example is an illness that has a chemical basis, but also is deeply embedded in cultural norms about gender, social class, race.” SocialRaceClassExampleBasesIllnessGenderChemicalsNormEmbeddedSocial Class Author:Jonathan Michel Metzl
“I think that we're making a mistake if we don't see that there is a cultural basis to many illnesses, not just psychiatric ones. Breast cancer would be one prevalent example right now, different kind of cultures surrounding it. If you don't understand the cultural meaning of an illness like that you're going to miss the boat even if you're a great scientist.” IfsThinkingKindDifferentWould BeCultureMistakeMissingExampleRight NowScientistBasesCancerIllnessBoatBreastsMaking MistakesDifferent KindsBreast CancerPsychiatricGreat Scientist Author:Jonathan Michel Metzl
“There are really exciting things happening in genetic and neurobiology right now, and really looking at the ways in which different not just illnesses, but social conditions and social pressures can actually lead to actual brain changes.” WayDifferentSocialBrainConditionsRight NowHappeningsExcitingPressureIllnessThings HappenExciting ThingsSocial ConditionsNeurobiologySocial Pressure Author:Jonathan Michel Metzl
