[Alienation in Psychiatry and Psychotherapy: A Relevant Concept?]

Abstract

Abstract: This critical essay examines the relevance of social alienation for psychiatry and psychotherapy. Drawing on a narrative integration of philosophical, psychopathological, and empirical literature, alienation is discussed as a phenomenon situated between subjective experience and socially mediated processes. Social alienation resulting from deprivation or work intensification may contribute to the development and persistence of mental disorders, while its relevance for disorder-specific treatments remains insufficiently understood. Interventions aiming to foster resonance and relations to the world (e. g. green prescribing, Soteria) are discussed, although stronger empirical support is required. The essay further emphasizes that individually oriented therapeutic approaches can only partially compensate for social stressors, highlighting the societal responsibility of psychiatry and psychotherapy to critically reflect on social conditions of mental health.