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Medicalise is a verb that refers to the process of bringing a condition, behavior, or aspect of human life under medical jurisdiction, treatment, or control. It involves transforming non-medical issues, concerns, or phenomena into medical problems that require diagnosis, intervention, or management through medical means.
When a condition or behavior is medicalised, it tends to be viewed exclusively through a medical lens, disregarding other potential explanations or approaches. This can lead to a narrowing of perspectives, over-reliance on medical expertise, and a shift toward medical solutions as the primary or sole avenue of addressing the issue at hand.
The act of medicalising often involves framing previously non-medical matters as illnesses or disorders. For instance, certain aspects of human behavior, such as shyness or sadness, might be labelled as social anxiety disorder or depression, respectively. This labelling can lead to the perception that these experiences are abnormal, needing medical intervention rather than being part of the spectrum of human emotions or personality traits.
Critics argue that medicalising conditions can have negative consequences, such as over-diagnosis, pathologizing normal variation, and potentially subjecting individuals to unnecessary medical treatments. It also places significant power and authority in the hands of medical professionals, potentially minimizing the involvement of other disciplines or perspectives in addressing the multifaceted aspects of human health and well-being.
Overall, medicalise refers to the process of transforming non-medical aspects of life into medical problems or phenomena, potentially narrowing the understanding and range of interventions available.
The word "medicalise" does not have a well-established etymology, as it is formed using standard English word-building rules. It is derived from the noun "medical" and the suffix "-ize", which is used to form verbs meaning "to make or become". When "medical" is combined with "-ize", it forms the verb "medicalize", meaning "to make or treat medically". The suffix "-ize" is derived from the Greek suffix "-izein", which itself was borrowed into English from Greek. Therefore, the etymology of "medicalise" is a combination of English and Greek elements to create a specialized verb in medical contexts.
CONDITIONAL
I
would medicalise
you
would medicalise
he/she/it
would medicalise
we
would medicalise
they
would medicalise
CONDITIONAL CONTINUOUS
I
would be medicalising
you
would be medicalising
he/she/it
would be medicalising
we
would be medicalising
they
would be medicalising
CONDITIONAL PERFECT
I
would have medicalise
you
would have medicalise
he/she/it
would have medicalise
we
would have medicalise
they
would have medicalise
CONDITIONAL PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
would have been medicalising
you
would have been medicalising
he/she/it
would have been medicalising
we
would have been medicalising
they
would have been medicalising
FUTURE
I
will medicalise
you
will medicalise
he/she/it
will medicalise
we
will medicalise
they
will medicalise
FUTURE CONTINUOUS
I
will be medicalising
you
will be medicalising
he/she/it
will be medicalising
we
will be medicalising
they
will be medicalising
FUTURE PERFECT
I
will have medicalised
you
will have medicalised
he/she/it
will have medicalised
we
will have medicalised
they
will have medicalised
FUTURE PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
will have been medicalising
you
will have been medicalising
he/she/it
will have been medicalising
we
will have been medicalising
they
will have been medicalising
IMPERATIVE
you
medicalise
we
let´s medicalise
to medicalise
PAST
I
medicalised
you
medicalised
he/she/it
medicalised
we
medicalised
they
medicalised
PAST CONTINUOUS
I
was medicalising
you
were medicalising
he/she/it
was medicalising
we
were medicalising
they
were medicalising
PAST PARTICIPLE
medicalised
PAST PERFECT
I
had medicalised
you
had medicalised
he/she/it
had medicalised
we
had medicalised
they
had medicalised
PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
had been medicalising
you
had been medicalising
he/she/it
had been medicalising
we
had been medicalising
they
had been medicalising
PRESENT
I
medicalise
you
medicalise
he/she/it
medicalises
we
medicalise
they
medicalise
PRESENT CONTINUOUS
I
am medicalising
you
are medicalising
he/she/it
is medicalising
we
are medicalising
they
are medicalising
PRESENT PARTICIPLE
medicalising
PRESENT PERFECT
I
have medicalised
you
have medicalised
he/she/it
has medicalised
we
have medicalised
they
have medicalised
PRESENT PERFECT CONTINUOUS
I
have been medicalising
you
have been medicalising
he/she/it
has been medicalising
we
have been medicalising
they
have been medicalising
