Abstract
The recent marketing of neuropsychiatric illnesses to encompass a broader range of conditions and enhancements has been almost completely associated with a growing use of drug treatments. This chapter examines how the broadened medicalization of numerous life conditions, such as minor depression, ADHD, and anxiety, has contributed to the expansion of neuropsychiatric illness and biomedical enhancements. This expansion is placed in the historical context of the rise of psychotropic pharmaceuticals, the advent of expanded drug marketing including direct-to-consumer advertising, the development of screening protocols, and the emergence of a range of “at risk” categories. These developments raise ethical issues including the decreasing thresholds for diagnosis and treatment, increasing drug treatments for children, and using psychoactive medications for enhancements. While medicalization is likely to continue and expand, some resistance might develop through government regulation, managed care and insurance company decisions, and the provision of better information to consumers.