In this clinical psychology episode of the podcast, we’re going to be looking at my reflection of Genetic Treatments For Mental Health Conditions? I loved this podcast episode!
This episode of podcast has been sponsored by Social Psychology: A Guide to Social and Cultural Psychology Third Edition.
Genetic Treatments for Mental Health Conditions Reflection
Friday 17th October 2020:
This week for my biological psychology module seminar, I had to read a paper called: Plomin and College (2001): Beyond Inheritance and I really wanted to reflect on this paper. As it mentioned Clinical psychology in a passing note.
Due to it mentioned that if psychology can find specific genes. Then it’s possible to find genetically based treatment options for mental conditions.
Personally, I can understand the logic as it would be amazing, cheaper and much more effective than current biological treatment. If we had a magic bullet where we could give someone a drug that targets specific genes, and the mental conditions goes away.
However, as my podcast audience and readers know, I am a massive opponent to the biomedical model. And this is what this idea would mean. It would be reductionist and propose that everything is down to ‘simple’ genetics.
Whilst, completely informing the cognitive and social factors because how would a genetic treatment help a depressed person with a negative cognitive style or someone with a bad parental relationship?
Therefore, in my opinion, I love the simple idea of this tiny paragraph. As it could save people time as you might only need to take this treatment one. It could save services money as this treatment is a magic bullet. As well as it could prevent the service or organisation from confounding the mental condition. Since the client spends virtually no time with the service.
On the other hand, I strongly believe in this is a reductionist way of thinking. That reinforces the biomedical model. And it neglects the social and cognitive factors that are just as important as the genetic factors.
Therefore, I want to wrap p this entry by stressing the importance of the biopsychosocial model. So, we acknowledge the different factors and how they interact.
Also, I want to emphasise the importance of formulation as instead of creating a magic bullet for the type of condition. Where were label people. We need to acknowledge that they are a person and we need to tailor make a treatment for them and their unique difficulties.
I really hope you enjoyed this clinical psychology reflection and I would love to show your own reflection in the comments!
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Have a great day!
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