Fact check: What alternative terms or frameworks have been proposed to replace 'mental illness' in the medical community?

1. Summary of the results

The medical community has indeed proposed several alternative terms and frameworks to replace or supplement 'mental illness,' with significant developments occurring in recent years.

Historical Language Evolution:

Research shows that terminology for mental health conditions has shifted dramatically over time. Terms incorporating 'condition', 'disease', and 'disturbance' became less popular from 1940 to 2019, while those involving 'psychiatric', 'mental health', and 'illness' became more dominant ^{[1] [2]}. Despite this trend, the term 'mental illness' itself has become increasingly popular and is now the dominant term used to describe mental ill health ^[2].

Proposed Alternative Frameworks:

Several concrete alternatives have emerged from leading researchers:

• Biological Spectrum Framework: Steven Hyman proposes replacing the current DSM system with a new framework focused on biological mechanisms and spectra, including psychosis, neurodevelopmental, internalizing, and compulsive spectra ^[3]
• Precision Neuroscience Approach: Leanne Williams advocates for a precision neuroscience framework that uses brain circuit measures to stratify conditions like major depression and compare circuit biomarkers across different treatments ^[3]
• Digital Mental Health Technology Framework: A new conceptual framework has been developed for categorizing digital mental health technologies, including 8 domains: population, setting, platform, purpose, type of approach, functionality, human interaction, and human responsiveness ^[4]

2. Missing context/alternative viewpoints

The original question doesn't address several important contextual factors that influence terminology debates:

Stigma and Language Impact:

Young people frequently use derogatory terms to describe people with mental illness, with media playing a significant role in perpetuating negative stereotypes ^[5]. This suggests that terminology changes aren't just academic exercises but have real-world implications for how society treats individuals with mental health conditions.

Community-Based vs. Medical Model Perspectives:

There's a growing emphasis on community mental health care approaches that focus on accessible and acceptable services rather than purely medical classifications ^[6]. This includes balanced care models combining hospital and community-based services, particularly important in low- and middle-income countries through task shifting and task sharing ^[6].

Workplace and Prevention Frameworks:

The MENTUPP project represents an alternative approach that targets both non-clinical and clinical mental health symptoms while combating stigmatizing attitudes in workplace settings ^[7]. This suggests movement toward prevention-focused rather than purely diagnostic frameworks.

3. Potential misinformation/bias in the original statement

The original question appears neutral and factual, seeking information about alternative terminology. However, it may inadvertently reflect certain assumptions:

Implicit Medical Model Bias:

By focusing specifically on "medical community" proposals, the question may overlook important perspectives from social workers, community health advocates, and individuals with lived experience who might favor non-medical terminology altogether.

Terminology vs. Framework Confusion:

The question conflates "terms" with "frameworks," when research shows these represent different levels of change - from simple word substitution to fundamental reconceptualization of mental health conditions ^[3].

Missing Medicalization Concerns:

The increasing popularity of the term 'mental illness' may be contributing to the medicalization of mental health issues ^[2], but the original question doesn't acknowledge this ongoing debate about whether medical terminology itself is problematic regardless of specific word choices.