Written by Dr. Les Ruthven
The author’s diagnosis of what is wrong with much of healthcare is unique, and the basic problem comes from physician training which is almost totally in the biophysical sciences. Of the 14 most common symptoms (chest pain, fatigue, dizziness, headache, edema, back pain, difficulty breathing, insomnia, abdominal pain, numbness, impotence, weight gain, cough, and constipation) that bring us to a physician, psychiatrist or psychologist fewer than 10% of these patients are finally diagnosed with a disease; the other patients’ symptoms arise from a variety of distressing personal and life situation difficulties that impair the person’s health. However, because of their training physicians are prone to look for biophysical solutions (drugs, surgery, bio mechanical treatments), which is why antidepressants are always among one of the top four selling drugs in health benefit plans. Also psychiatric drugs account for over 50% of the drug costs in most benefit plans. These drugs do not treat disease despite what psychiatry says. Unlike real disease, even schizophrenia is diagnosed completely on the patient’s behavior and without lab work or any evidence of tissue damage as in “real” disease. 85% of all psychiatric drugs are prescribed by non-psychiatric physicians, which to the author means that most of these physician prescribed drugs are for patients without a diagnosable mental disorder despite their distressing symptoms.
There are many “real” diseases and this is why physician training in the biophysical sciences is very appropriate. However, many diseases such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes and others are partly if not wholly preventable through life-style changes. Here again physicians turn to drugs and other biophysical solutions rather than referring to experts in behavior change. When a patient is given a diagnosis of cancer, diabetes, heart disease or others, along with a diagnosis these patients are given a large dosage of anxiety/fear, which is also damaging to the patient’s health and recovery. Such a life threatening and life changing diagnosis can have major negative consequences on the patient and his or her relationships and life and must be addressed by experts in human behavior.