In life the best answers to a problem are often the most simple or obvious of answers. That is why in the article "Medicalization and Social Control" by Peter Conrad the most simple answers suggested to the issues of medicalization and medical social control are the correct answers. In the case of medicalization, the two main answers to how medicalization arose are secularization and the changing role of the medical profession. The reasons for these are the simple and obvious answers. In the case of medical social control, there is too much power in the field and some power needs to be taken away.
             In his article, Conrad discusses how medicalization began in the 1970's, and today still has no set definition, due to its broad conceptual frame. He also discusses how medicalization occurs on three main levels; the conceptual level, which deals with medical vocabulary, the institutional level that deals with organizations, and the interactional level, which deals with the patient-Dr. relationship (Conrad, 1992.) Conrad then goes on to discuss two contextual reasons for medicalization. The first reason he gives for medicalization is secularization. Secularization leads to medicalization according to Conrad, and religion has been shoved aside for major moral ideology and social control in the United States. Although almost all churches are against secularization, the Adventist churches have encouraged secularization and medicalization. (Conrad, 1992) The next argument states that medicalization was a means of survival due to the changing role of the medical profession. It states medicalization was a means of survival for doctors when conditions in America improved, and not as many were getting sick. (Conrad, 1992) The other argument for medicalization states that doctors essentially became bored with work and found ways, such as medicalization to make work more interesting, but doctors can over see medical care,...