"Bad" Mothers: The Politics of Blame Re: Radio Doug

[Carrol Cox]

RE wrote:
> 
> I agree that it's very important to be careful not to overlook physiological
> problems.  At the same time, for example, one fairly common misdiagnosis is
> to assume that an elderly patient suffering from memory loss may be sliding
> into Alzheimer's, when they may be suffering from depression.  So instead of
> getting treatment for depression, the retirement center evaluation machinery
> starts cranking up.  One shouldn't assume memory loss is repression-related,
> but you can't methodologically rule out repression, because it does occur.

I would think that what needs explanation here is the medical practice.
Why does this misdiagnosis occur? And I think the most important kind of
explanation would be social/political, not psychological. We can do
something politically, but if we explain it in terms of the
psychology,motivation, etc. of the physicians, psychologists,
nursing-home managers, we will be faced with the impossible task of
individually transforming each and every physcician, psychologist, and
nursing-home manager in the nation, which is impossible.

Carrol