Category: Health and Wellness
The American Psychiatric Association (from which I resigned in protest, some time ago) is at it again—making up, then retracting, new diagnoses that their
committees generate and debate. It's as if those committees have some sort of microscope trained on humanity, identifying new pathologies and yelling,
“Voila! We have found another illness! Behold the mind malady on the slide!”
In this case, while preparing to publish its big seller (and huge profit center), the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders V (DSM-V)—organized
psychiatry’s compendium of known psychiatric illnesses—the powers that be at the APA have decided to remove from its latest revision of the manual a few
diagnoses they thought they would include: “attenuated psychosis syndrome” and “mixed anxiety depressive disorder.” They are, however, sticking with their
notion of jettisoning from the DSM-V, the diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome, while picking up one they call, “Autism Spectrum Disorder.”
This would be really funny, if it weren’t really dangerous. The DSM-V will be used by hundreds of thousands of clinicians who may think that they are understanding
their patients better, or treating them more expertly, by labeling them with one of 300 or so disorders listed in it, then matching medications to those
supposedly genuine labels. But those labels aren’t driven just by science, but by political, economic and commercial forces within the American Psychiatric
Association that may have nothing to do with the wellbeing of patients – or with reality.
The labels in the DSM-V (like the Diagnostic and Statistical Manuals that came before it) have really become little more than the roadmap by which psychiatrists
chase both insurance reimbursement and applause from special interest groups who lobby—sometimes very effectively—for one diagnosis to be included, or
another to be removed.
See, without a numbered diagnosis—such as number 312.30 Impulse-Control Disorder Not Otherwise Specified or number 307.47 Nightmare Disorder (formerly Dream
Anxiety Disorder)—insurance companies won’t write a check to social workers, psychologists or psychiatrists who help people who have terrible outbursts
or can’t sleep. Without a numbered diagnosis, pharmaceutical companies can’t get an FDA indication to use a particular medicine for that diagnosis. And
without a numbered diagnosis, psychiatric wards can’t get paid to treat patients who hear voices or see visions or are dependent on heroin.
Never mind that splicing and dicing the range of human experience into a recipe book of contrived illnesses does damage to the miraculous healing power
of empathy, which just happens to be psychiatry’s birthright. Never mind that creating a constantly-evolving dictionary of disorders wrenches the wonderful
tools of psychotherapy and psychiatric medications into a realm of fiction that can paralyze them—like, for instance, the time that the American Psychiatric
Association removed Ego-Dystonic Homosexuality from the DSM, essentially making the case that people who have sexual impulses they themselves dislike and
wish to resist need no help at all and are pretty much normal. Similarly, now, for those with Asperger’s Disorder, which no longer exists as a distinct
entity because someone on some committee convinced other people on that committee that it just doesn’t.
So, there. Take two of those, and call me in the morning.
Mind you, this is the same organization purporting to represent American psychiatrists while refusing to say just what percentage of those psychiatrists
belong to it. It is the same organization that has presided over the near decimation of insight-oriented psychotherapy—still far-and-away the best technique,
in capable hands, that we have to truly heal those suffering with mental disorders.
We in America face an epidemic of fiction—manipulations of the truth on a scale never before known, fueled by technology and media. This epidemic threatens
to rob us of ourselves—what we truly think and truly feel and truly know as fact. And this epidemic has clearly infected the American Psychiatric Association,
which puts them on the wrong side of Truth, and puts patients at needless risk.
http://www.foxnews.com/health/2012/05/14/be-wary-american-psychiatric-association/
I always enjoy reading these articles. It seems to me that, as the author of this article said, the mental health profession is becoming more and more screwed up. And if the profession is screwed, and so are the patients, where does that leave those who really do need help? More importantly, where does it leave those who never had a psychiatric illness to begin with, but after being labeled, stigmatized, shunned by friends and family, and degraded, probably will end up suffering from something that could have easily been prevented with a hint of common sense?
I have a friend who's currently in college studying psychology. Whenever I see articles like this, it takes everything I have not to shove them in his face and say, "look at all the corruption and bullshit you're getting yourself into!" I try to be supportive, because that's what friends do, but quite frankly it gets harder and harder every time I see stuff like this.
fire and rain,
thanks for saying that you like reading the artickles.
i like posting them....
Is there not a difference between psychology and psychiatry though?
Perhaps one of the psychology people on here could actually comment on this, and educate the rest of us. It's hard for me to say if this is a scare tactic or if it's real. I had thought that stuff was medical science, but I am not involved, so.
Well, I'm not an expert, but I have done a lot of independent research on mental health and psychology, so I'll do my best to explain the differences. I once thought that I would want to be a psychologist myself, but after having several bad experiences with counselors, to say nothing of the ridiculous amount of time you have to go to college to be one, I gave it up.
Psychiatry is the medical study of mental illness, the biochemical and neurological factors that play into it. That's why psychiatrists can prescribe medications, because they have a doctorarte degree, and in addition to going through training in counseling, they also have to go to medical school for several years. Psychologists also have to have a PHD, because of recent increases in licensing standards, but they have no medical training. They study counseling approaches, the different philosophies of each, and what is currently known about the social, emotional and cultural aspects of mental health and its associated disorders.
So, while this particular article is pointing more fingers at psychiatrists, and that is where the main danger lies since they're the ones providing medications which, if given for these so-called new disorders, not only fatten their own pockets but those of the drug companies as well. However, psychologists can be affected by these changes as well, particularly those who work with children, whether in private practice or in schools. Usually, when a child or teen is deemed troubled and in need of counseling, there's a team of a psychologist, psychiatrist and social worker who all have to cooperate and agree on a treatment plan. If psychologists knowingly put young patients in danger, whether it's physical or emotional, by complicating what might have been a simple problem, they're no better than the big shots who decided to change the names and scopes of these disorders in the first place.
And before someone says, "they don't have to do anything, no one is forcing it on them", let me tell you what happens to real people with real jobs who try to change the system. They get fired, plain and simple. Most people cling to the jobs they have for dear life because of the economy, so at a time like this, not many will want to risk rocking the boat. If they do, they may have to answer to the board under which they were licensed, or move to another state to find a different practice, which often requires the person to be licensed again (requirements vary from state to state, and of course, country to country, if you want to really take it to an extreme.)
I hope this helps to clear up what I was saying in my last post.
It kind of does, because for many of us, we simply don't know.
And most of us understand the need to stay with a job despite principles. Trust me: when I was young dumb and full of ... well, I was like many on here, who would say never sacrifice one's principles. Yet, we are all hookers, all of us who work. Unless we own our own businesses, we definitely sacrifice those things, on behalf of those who depend upon us. We all do it to greater or lesser degrees.
So I can see what you're saying and how this would affect them all, and this is an area most people, myself included know nothing about.
Right, and that's what's bothering me about my friend who wants to go into this field. He talks such a good game, telling me he's going to be the one that makes the difference, the one who doesn't overmedicate his patients and doesn't allow anyone he has to work with on a team to do that either, blah, blah, but I wonder what happens in 10 years when he has a family to support and he has a choice: either provide for them and stick to the status quo or be some kind of superhero? My guess would hopefully be the former, but I wish he would just admit it.
To sum it out,
Basicly, there're different between Psychiatry, psychology, and counceling.
Psychiatrist is basicly a medical doctor who specialise in Mental Health. they can prescribe drugs, and they have all the power and rights of the doctor. Which also means, they need to go thru a certain level of medical training, and also mental health training. usually takes around anyware from 9 years to 11 years of study.
Psychologist is basicly looking more to the behaviour approach, why A causes B Causes C etc etc, History of the behaviours/issues, the norms, the abnormal, what is acceptable what is not, and why, etc. They often use more of a theraputic approach, such as CBT, IBT and so on. and it require a good 6 to 9 years of study/supervision.
Counsellor basicly is someone you talk to, someone give you the helping hand, to guide/lead you to a brighter future, if that make sense. Counsellor also uses some of the theraputic approach, but in general, counsellor is there for people to talk to with any kind of concern. Yes, people come to counsellors with everything and anything. usually require good 4 to 6 years of studies/supervision.
So, if you can see it as a Psychiatrist equal to a surgen, psychologist equals to your general practicional (without the rights to prescribe medication), and your counsellor as a midwife person, who attend to you and care for your individual needs.
the sad thing is, all these 3 people, often fights amount each other, and hard to get them satisfy and agree on 1 thing in a given time.
Of course, like many profession, this 3 needs to work and communicate together and with each other in order for something brighter to happen.
I'm pretty wary of any association LOL.
lol brian arn't we all?
Knowledge is power, kids. The DSM is like the bird-watching guide for mental illnesses. It can direct you, but it can't give you all the answers. If you're diagnosed with something it's usually from the DSM because that's how insurance companies level their claims.
But if you're here, you have the wonderful advantage of - gasp - the internet, and search engines. Search for multiple, varied sources and first-hand accounts of this diagnosis. Search for information on therapies, medications, and any peer-reviewed experiments that can show the effectiveness of outcomes for patients. Search for tests, symptoms, support groups, whatever.
If you're diagnosed with a physical or mental illness and choose to let the doctor make all the calls for you, you get what you deserve. You shouldn't blame any person or book for your own laziness at being proactive about your own existence.
well stated butter. not well written but yes, that's the gist. I'd quote some of the apa manual for you guys especially the ethics, ahem, or so called ethics if I wasn't half asleep, right about now. haha! but yeah, I shall tomorrow after I complete the ethics section. Yes, I am a psych major for now, but I've made up my mind over the summer to go in to philosophy which is a lot safer and this dangerous, more political than anything book has convinced me, and it's really boring too and dressed up as scientific, when it really isn't. my favorite clause so far is:
"Authors are expected to comply promptly and in a spirit of cooperation with request for data sharing from other researchers."
Hang on a moment! I thought you used comply and cooperation in the same sentence? isn't that a contradiiction in itself? if you're ttelling me that you're telling me I must cooperate, so wait that's really not me cooperating right, even if I don't want to? erm..... something doesn't add up here..... you know...... there's lots of these pretty sentences in the book, some seeming more political then others, and some paragraphs seeming so political it's scary!
The dsm-iv currently in circulation is as dangerous, when I have time I'll read that and pull some dangerous stuff from there. but a few examples, I mean look at these.
adhd: oh wait, this kid you know is being ssuper hyper, not what kids would do now anyway, right? well, because he's so hyper and disfocused like a kid should be, well, you know what, great! lets medicate him with riddllelin, or whatever adhd meds we can find and make it sound like it's an issue. I know kids could be trained to not be like this, but lets medicate him anyway, or convince the psychiatrist that he is! yaaaaaay!
well, yes, when that adhd is really kids being kids running around, watching too much of the tube.
or the add which is like it but it's without the hyper in it, just disfocused and disinterested.
oh and how about yeah,
self-mutism: wait, oh I know that kid doesn't wan't to talk to x and y but is okay with z? you know hey it must be this new disease! it's called self-mutism! la gasp! and, you know what, it's part of autism! lets say she is autistic and only is able to talk to one person. lets forget what she wants to do lets just medicate her!
when it's nothing more then choice and really, you know, they just want to choose, and the kid doesn't want to talk to someone, not at all a disease, more like being a kid.
Uh, do you mean selective mutism? I haven't heard of self-mutism, but I think that's what you were describing.
well said, post 11.
ShatteredSanity, it sounds like your friend is currently an idealist. That's common in college students, no matter what profession they plan to go into. Many students look at their chosen career path, see the flaws in the field, and believe they're going to be the ones to go in and make everything right. I've seen that attitude many times, in students majoring in different fields of study. I admire the ambition and drive, and hope people like that can make a difference. They may have to take some hard knocks before realizing they can't change absolutely everything, but can make changes in their own little spere of influence. So if your friend can help his own patients, or the patients in that practice, more power to him.
Very well said, Miss M. It's always important for someone to be their own advocate, and doubly so when it comes to issues of mental health. I respect doctor's learning and greater medical knowledge, but the fact is it's still my body, my life, and I need to do the research and learning that will effect me.
Dagne, leave Joanne alone. I'd say she does pretty damn well for someone whose first language is not English.