overmedicalization
/ˌoʊvərmɛdɪkəlaɪˈzeɪʃən/
Definition
The practice of using pharmaceutical interventions, diagnoses, and medical oversight for human conditions that the author suggests are more appropriately addressed through lifestyle, environmental, or social changes.
Etymology
The word combines the prefix 'over-' (meaning excessively) with 'medicalization,' derived from the French 'médicalisation.' It entered common usage in the late 20th century to critique the tendency of modern medicine to categorize non-medical issues as clinical problems.
In the news
In this article, the term is used to describe a movement that frames current psychiatric care as excessive, using this narrative to justify policy shifts that prioritize lifestyle changes over clinical treatment.
MAHA is rewriting the vocabulary of American mental health care
Read the full article ↗STAT