Possible Harm of the Identification of Psychosis Biotypes to a Patient Health

First time diagnoses for mentally ill patients often are inaccurate with wrong medication being prescribed, however, biotypes could promise more accurate diagnoses in the future. These biotypes show subtle differences in brain gray matter, further differentiating between broad diagnoses. Without accurate diagnoses, many mental illness patients suffer side effects with little help with their illness.

Reflection of the Article

Psychological medicine has seemingly expanded in terms of variety of mental illness, however, it has failed to precisely diagnose this mental illnesses. Insel (2016) states a breakthrough has been made in using biotypes in order to more accurately diagnose these illnesses. Although biotypes have not been proven to to have more validity than clinical diagnoses, they hold the potential to add to a traditional diagnosis and encourage modern techniques to be applied to diagnosing psychosis. More precise diagnoses would allow for more precise treatment by combining cognitive, biological, social and behavioral factors. The biotypes were not simply defined by symptoms but by genetic basis, social functioning, and differences in regional brain matter. Biotypes promise new steps to accurate diagnosis and treatment of psychosis, which could change the lives of many who struggle with family members with mental illness (Insel, 2016).

Impact on Society

Biotypes found by the B-SNIP Project were originally intended to help psychologists differentiate between individuals with the same diagnosis as they all fall under the same category of mental illness, however, they may have different symptoms (Barch, 2017). The ability to further separate broad categories of psychosis may help to further the accuracy of diagnosis the first time and prevent wrong treatments. If people do not receive accurate treatment the first time, they will receive wrong medications which can have a multitude of side effects including a decline of the immune system (Masand, 2000).

Weaker immune systems can increase the likelihood of getting a deadly disease, leading to more deaths of both mentally ill patients and their families. However, if mentally ill patients remain untreated for their illness their behavior may become erratic, including lashing out at nurses and other care takers (Quintal, 2002). If mental health professionals continue to feel threatened by patients they may stop taking care of mentally ill patients, leaving no one to take care of those with mental illness. This could cause an increase in crime as mentally ill patients may not know what they are doing and start lashing out at everyone they meet. With no one to take care of these patients, people may be subject to the same violence that threatened health care professionals. Violence by untreated mentally ill patients could cause a sharp increase in violent crimes around the world.

Relevance to Personal Experience

Some people may think that most first diagnoses by medical professionals are correct. However, many disorders share symptoms and it can be hard for professionals to tell them apart (Insel, 2016). Patients with the wrong diagnosis may deal with depression and begin to separate themselves from friends and family, breaking up close family bonds that had previously been a system of support for mentally ill patients. Depression in more extreme cases can also lead to suicide which would have profound effects on friends and family members around the victim. If a patient does not get the anti-depressions they need, the results could be catastrophic as the patient may succumb to the depression and hurt themselves and those around them both physically and emotionally (Addington, 1992). Biotypes may help to decrease wrong diagnoses and help decrease the number of mentally ill patients going without a correct diagnosis or medication.

Conclusion

Biotypes may be a promising way to help medical professionals accurately diagnose mental illness the first time and not give wrong labels or medication to patients. The wrong medication may not only be ineffective but also cause a decline in metabolic processes later in life, causing serious health problems for patients. Mentally ill patients also become violent without proper treatment, potentially leading to a sharp decline in mental health medical professionals. Biotypes may also help to separate generic diagnoses and ensure that patients get the help and care that they need.