
Underwriting Focus 2020, No. 1
Issue: July 2020 Download PDF English Français By Dr. Chris Ball, Life/Health Consulting Medical Officer, London Annika Luckmann, Life/Health Associate Underwriter, Cologne Dr. Sandra Mitic, Life/Health Chief Medical Officer, Cologne Anke Siebers, Life/Health Insurance Education Consultant, Cologne Annika Tiedemann, Life/Health Underwriting Manager, Cologne Disability
Countless myths exist about mental illness. In the media, in your job as an underwriter and in your private life, you have most likely come across many of them. Just reflect about the following questions: Are mental disorders a weakness of character? Has the prevalence of mental illness increased in recent years or do more people seek help? Is ADHD a specific disorder or is it just a fashionable diagnosis? Does the modern work environment promote mental illness? Will mentally ill people ever recover and return to work? Are functional neurological disorders purely psychological in origin?
This edition of picks up the above myths in individual articles and discusses origin, society impact and insurance implications. Differentiating between myths and facts, and distinguishing science from hearsay, helps to clear up the ongoing discrimination and stigma associated with mental illness.