[Are there psychological factors which lead to iatrogenic disorders?].

Behind iatrogenic disturbances caused by psychological factors lies the dependence of present day medicine on the reductionist scientific paradigm of the 18th century. The latter excludes psychological and social factors from the "scientific equation". Only absolute objectivity and neutrality in the observer, and the avoidance of personality and history in the patient, are held to be valid. The patient's individual reality, as influencing his individual physiology, is not considered. The results are errors in diagnosis (e.g. with patients suffering from chronic pain), abuse (including sexual) of women patients, and insufficient care of cancer patients. Psychological iatrogenic disturbances can be reduced by training medical students in biopsychosocial interrelations and by self-experience courses for physicians.