Philosophy, Psychiatry, & Psychology

Abstract:

The contribution of phenomenology to the field of psychopathology should be treated as a living legacy. The singularities of the method, which have promoted the humanistic and deep understanding of mental suffering for over a century, still leave much to be explored by psychiatry especially within the therapeutic context. The phenomenological validity of the different meanings of treatment of mental disorders is one of the great challenges of our times. Within the domain of this vast research project, some preliminary formulations in the field of schizophrenia will be presented. Initially, a brief contextualization of the developments of phenomenological psychopathology as a whole will be made. Next, the legitimacy of the phenomenological investigation of pharmacological treatment will be defended as will be defended the pressing need for such investigation. Finally, based on anthropological principles, one essential property of antipsychotics in the constitutive disturbance of schizophrenia are proposed. Some direct implications in the clinical setting of this qualitative assessment of the pharmacological treatment of schizophrenia are also identified.