Iatrogenics and Marriage: Do Not Cause Harm

Published June 5, 1986. Have a paper and pencil nearby? I learned a new word recently that has implications for marriage. The word is “iatrogenics.” The prefix “iatro” is Greek meaning “healer.” The suffix “genic” means “producer.” Together iatrogenics means healer-produced.

In the medical field iatrogenics refers to physical disorders caused by the improper treatment by a physician or surgeon. In other words, doctor-induced diseases or impairments. People go to their physician for treatment of one ailment and occasionally come away with another, sometimes equally bad or worse.

I took my automobile to the repair shop not long ago for a minor adjustment. In the process of making the repair, the mechanic inadvertently caused a much greater problem which he had to fix at his own time and expense. That’s a case of mechanical iatrogenics.

So what has all this to do with marriage? People often have marital problems and seek other individuals, groups, or agencies for assistance. They go for counseling or treatment and occasionally come away worse off than they went in. Not often, but occasionally. Their new problems are sometimes healer-produced. Iatrogenic.

Those of us in the helping professions who offer marital assistance need to be aware of the phenomenon of iatrogenics. We need to adhere to the surgeons’ motto, “first do no harm.” Marriage counselors and therapists often become involved in the process of alleviating much of the emotional discomfort and pain related to marital disruption. And research indicates that in the majority of the cases, skilled and trained counselors help ease that pain in the process of healing. Competent counselors have been trained not to make trying situations worse than they are when first encountered.

In addition to marriage counselors, what about educators and religious leaders? Does the concept of iatrogenics apply to them as well? I think so.

I remember right after we were married, a highly respected teacher told Susan and me in a college class that successful marriages had little or no conflict. We had high regard for the teacher and left his class at the end of the semester with the belief that we should not or would not encounter any kind of conflict in our quest for a good relationship.

That lasted just a few more months until we learned, as struggling newlyweds, that there were not only some, but a whole lot of conflicts, in our marriage, which we eventually learned to resolve. But few will understand the emotional turmoil caused by our uninformed, but well-meaning teacher who taught the conflict-free concept of contemporary marriage. That was a case of educational iatrogenics.

What about religious denominations and leaders?

A majority of people first seek out their church religious leader when they desire assistance with marital and family problems. Is it possible iatrogenics might also apply to this situation? How many people have turned to a religious leader only to be dealt with unprofessionally or inappropriately? How many couples come away worse than they went in?

And finally, does the concept of iatrogenics apply to ourselves as married couples who are trying to improve our own relationship?

Through questionable or abrupt actions, do we often create situations which later require a great deal of time and effort to overcome? Shouldn’t we, like the others we often seek for help, also spend much of our time in prevention rather having to expend considerable amounts of time and resources later providing for the cure?

Iatrogenics. Interesting word. Considerable implications for marriage.