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Is ‘normal grief’ a mental disorder?

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Is ‘normal grief’ a mental disorder? / Wilkinson, Stephen.
In: The Philosophical Quarterly, Vol. 50, No. 200, 2000, p. 290-304.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Wilkinson, S 2000, 'Is ‘normal grief’ a mental disorder?', The Philosophical Quarterly, vol. 50, no. 200, pp. 290-304. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.0031-8094.2000.00186.x

APA

Vancouver

Wilkinson S. Is ‘normal grief’ a mental disorder? The Philosophical Quarterly. 2000;50(200):290-304. doi: 10.1111/j.0031-8094.2000.00186.x

Author

Wilkinson, Stephen. / Is ‘normal grief’ a mental disorder?. In: The Philosophical Quarterly. 2000 ; Vol. 50, No. 200. pp. 290-304.

Bibtex

@article{1a6a6900b4084c229d6e185891b73c73,
title = "Is {\textquoteleft}normal grief{\textquoteright} a mental disorder?",
abstract = "I argue that grief (including {\textquoteleft}normal grief{\textquoteright}) is a mental disorder. I discuss the main concepts involved briefly, and state the prima facie case in favour of the view that grief is a disorder. I consider objections that grief is not a disorder because (a) it is a normal response; (b) it is more healthy than failing to grieve; (c) it involves cognitive good; (d) it is a rational response; (e) it ought not to be medicalized or treated; (f ) it has a {\textquoteleft}distinct sustaining cause{\textquoteright}. Each objection is flawed, and I conclude that there is a strong case for regarding even {\textquoteleft}normal{\textquoteright} grief as a disorder. Alternatively, the arguments in this paper may be taken as attacking {\textquoteleft}orthodoxrsquo; definitions of mental health (e.g., in DSM 4th edn) by providing an extended discussion of one particular counter-example.",
author = "Stephen Wilkinson",
year = "2000",
doi = "10.1111/j.0031-8094.2000.00186.x",
language = "English",
volume = "50",
pages = "290--304",
journal = "The Philosophical Quarterly",
issn = "1467-9213",
publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell",
number = "200",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Is ‘normal grief’ a mental disorder?

AU - Wilkinson, Stephen

PY - 2000

Y1 - 2000

N2 - I argue that grief (including ‘normal grief’) is a mental disorder. I discuss the main concepts involved briefly, and state the prima facie case in favour of the view that grief is a disorder. I consider objections that grief is not a disorder because (a) it is a normal response; (b) it is more healthy than failing to grieve; (c) it involves cognitive good; (d) it is a rational response; (e) it ought not to be medicalized or treated; (f ) it has a ‘distinct sustaining cause’. Each objection is flawed, and I conclude that there is a strong case for regarding even ‘normal’ grief as a disorder. Alternatively, the arguments in this paper may be taken as attacking ‘orthodoxrsquo; definitions of mental health (e.g., in DSM 4th edn) by providing an extended discussion of one particular counter-example.

AB - I argue that grief (including ‘normal grief’) is a mental disorder. I discuss the main concepts involved briefly, and state the prima facie case in favour of the view that grief is a disorder. I consider objections that grief is not a disorder because (a) it is a normal response; (b) it is more healthy than failing to grieve; (c) it involves cognitive good; (d) it is a rational response; (e) it ought not to be medicalized or treated; (f ) it has a ‘distinct sustaining cause’. Each objection is flawed, and I conclude that there is a strong case for regarding even ‘normal’ grief as a disorder. Alternatively, the arguments in this paper may be taken as attacking ‘orthodoxrsquo; definitions of mental health (e.g., in DSM 4th edn) by providing an extended discussion of one particular counter-example.

U2 - 10.1111/j.0031-8094.2000.00186.x

DO - 10.1111/j.0031-8094.2000.00186.x

M3 - Journal article

VL - 50

SP - 290

EP - 304

JO - The Philosophical Quarterly

JF - The Philosophical Quarterly

SN - 1467-9213

IS - 200

ER -