Defining mental disorder: Tautology in the service of sanity in British mental health legislation

Abstract

Background: Recently the British government has issued a Draft Mental Health Bill, which offers a definition of mental disorder.

Aims: This definition is analysed in logical and empirical terms. It is also contrasted with previous struggles in the professional literature to provide a cogent and credible definition of mental disorder. Socio-historical forces are described relevant to this current lack of clarity and credibility.

Results: All efforts to date to define mental disorder have been flawed on a number of counts.

Conclusion: The concept of mental disorder is of dubious scientific validity but it has a substantial political utility for several social groups who are sane by mutual agreement. Tautology, not science, is invoked regularly to warrant the lawful and ethical control of people who behave in a range of ways which offend or frighten the sane majority.

Declaration of interest: None.

Keywords:

• Mental disorder
• mental health policy