Posted on 12/03/2012 5:40:23 PM PST by neverdem
On Saturday, the board of trustees of the American Psychiatric Association (APA) voted to approve the final text of the DSM-5, the next revision to the leading manual for diagnosing mental illness. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, which originated in 1952, will be released next May at the APA's annual meeting in San Francisco. The revision process leading to DSM-5 began in 1999, and APA says it consulted more than 1500 experts in 39 countries in updating the criteria for diagnosing hundreds of psychiatric conditions. It has been a bumpy ride.
Controversy has dogged the revision process for years. Even before the first draft of proposed changes was released in 2010, critics alleged that too much of the deliberation was conducted in secret and that too many of those involved had ties to drug companies that stood to benefit from changes to diagnostic criteria—APA has repeatedly rejected these charges.
And many of the diagnostic proposals have elicited a strong reaction. A proposal to combine several autism-related disorders into a single diagnosis raised concerns among some critics that it would radically alter who gets diagnosed with those disorders and angered advocates for Asperger syndrome, a milder form of autism that would be eliminated in the new scheme. A new childhood condition called disruptive mood dysregulation disorder, characterized by irritability and violent outbursts, was intended to stem the perceived overdiagnosis of childhood bipolar disorder, but critics have argued that the diagnosis lacks scientific validity. Yet another controversial proposal, to remove language that excludes people who've recently experienced the loss of a loved one from being diagnosed with major depression, elicited complaints that it would lead to the medicalization of normal grief. These changes will stand, APA said in a press release.(PDF)
APA, however, has recently backed down from other proposals, including "attenuated psychosis syndrome," a precursor to schizophrenia. The APA work group on psychotic disorders had hoped this diagnosis could help clinicians identify people at risk and intervene before they developed full-blown schizophrenia, but they ultimately abandoned it over concerns that clinicians would be unable to make the diagnosis reliably and consistently.
In a statement, APA President Dilip Jeste acknowledged the challenges the organization had faced in attempting to create a science-based diagnostic manual and the "inevitable disagreements about some of the proposals." Even so, he concluded: "We believe that DSM-5 reflects our best scientific understanding of psychiatric disorders and will optimally serve clinical and public health needs. Our hope is that the DSM-5 will lead to more accurate diagnoses, better access to mental health services, and improved patient outcomes."
Is heterosexuality a disorder yet?
naaa...but you can sure as heck bet that Tea Partying is.....
I prefer to call it the "needs a butt whoopin and sent to bed without supper'" disorder. I certainly don't think it's a new condition.
/johnny
Psychiatry was hijacked by the Left decades ago and stopped being scientific in the 70s.
I respect the goals of psychiatry, I have family members in the field, but there’s a LOT of junk science and bogus policies that are implemented because of Political Correctness.
According to them....we’re all nuts. The goal is to get everyone on meds.
I’m sure Dilip isn’t responsible for his name, but it seems a fitting wind-up for what looks more and more like a conference of clowns.
When it goes on nonstop for months something more might be the matter.
“Excessive desire to breed” or some such thing in a Malthusian world.
I'm watching a friend go through this crap...The kids 4. The therapy??? Just another type of headstart program with higher paid pros. What a scam !!
I’m sure Hoplophilia is in there somewhere....
Guess which specialty in medicine is least respected by other doctors? Also which medical specialty has the highest suicide rate? Go figure.
are these the same idiots who tried to say that sexual molestation didn’t do long term harm to a child?
liberaltarians??
I think there’s a thread somewhere in FReeperville regarding the Homosexual groups forcing homosexuality out of the old DSM-III back in the 70’s. It’s a good read. I might sound a lot like cap’n obvious but so many of these psychological descriptors are more political than medical, new age mumbo-jumbo. Forgive, if you know this, signed, an old “shrink”nurse.
“Is heterosexuality a disorder yet?”
Not yet, but conservatism probably is.
Obama’s picture in on the page where narcissism is discussed.
not chirporactors or acupuncturists?
no?... gotta be the shrinks, they all nuts
Did the Obama Obsessive Compulsive Behaviour Syndrome make it? Oh wait... there it is ,, under new political ailments right next to TEA Party voter.
Unfortunately there’s a lot of over-diagnosing of ADHD, but that has a lot more to do with the public school systems than psychiatry in general.
My sister originally wanted to be a guidance counselor, but she gave up the idea when she realized that essentially the School District could interfere with things, like forcing rambunctious children to be medicated.
She went to a private practice, and works according to her ethics and never regretted it.
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