Rachel is afraid to take Wellbutrin. At least when she’s depressed she
doesn’t put on weight. Her mother finally talks her into taking the medi-
cation, but it doesn’t help the depression.
Rachel and her mother continue to argue.
“I can’t just sit by and watch while my child suffers.....”
“Mom, I’m not a child! Anyway, you’re the one who’s act-
ing immature and manipulative.”
“Oh, so suddenly you’re all grown up, and I’m immature
and manipulative.” Rachel’s mother narrows her eyes. “Answer
me this, Little Miss Perfect: Which one of us is taking medica-
tion for mental illness?”The disease model is not without side effects. In the medical
sense, being depressed means there’s something wrong with your brain.
If there’s something wrong with your brain, how can you ever win an
argument?
Also, once you get a mental diagnosis, it tends to become the diag-
nosis for everything else.
“Rachel, we have some good news,” the doctor says. “All the tests
are normal. The pain in your stomach is just stress.”The notion that mental disorders are diseases is supposed to free peo-
ple from guilt. It doesn’t work for Rachel. Not only does she feel terrible,
but somehow it always ends up being her fault.
Or her mother’s.
The Psychological Model
Psychotherapy doesn’t work particularly well either.
Dr. Judy thinks Rachel’s depression is caused by a dysfunctional rela-
tionship with her mother. She encourages Rachel to stand up for herself.
Sometimes, it doesn’t work quite the way Dr. Judy intends.
“Where does your therapist get off saying that I have problems
with boundaries!” Rachel’s mother shrieks. “You’re my child andWhat’s Wrong with These People? ❧ 37