"Snart är ingenting normalt utan det ska kategoriseras som någonting" - En studie av kuratorers uppfattningar om det utbredda användandet av begreppet psykisk ohälsa

Sammanfattning: The perceived problem being explored in this bachelor thesis study is how the widespread use of the term psykisk ohälsa (mental illness) might be used to include the perceived suffering that is a part of life. Based on this problem, the chosen purpose of this essay is to explore how welfare officers perceive the widespread use of the term psykisk ohälsa. Interviews have been conducted with seven welfare officers working at local health care centres in different parts of Sweden. Due to Covid-19, the interviews were carried out via Skype. The main findings from the interviews were that it is difficult for the interviewed practitioners to define the term psykisk ohälsa and to determine what the widespread use of the term psykisk ohälsa might lead to. The welfare officers pointed out both positive and negative aspects. On the positive side, the stigma related to mental illness is decreasing and more patients are searching for care. On the negative side, patients seeking care might search for care for problems that are a part of life. Also perceived as negative, some of the welfare officers brought up the tendency to medicalize, which means to diagnose every way of experiencing mental illness.