Making the Making of DSM-V Transparent

Passing on some information on efforts to make transparent the production of the next Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (or DSM). As you may know, the last two editions were roundly criticized as being arbitrary in their designation of symptoms. Investigation suggests that outside interests, including but not limited to drug companies, contributed to the arbitrariness of symptoms. [...]

Read Full Post »

Recession and Sense of Self

Self doubt. Diminished sense of self. Fear and diminished expectations. Depression. Anxiety. Lack of sleep. These are some of the symptoms being predicted as a result of the upcoming (if not arrived) recession. Washington and Lee University (quote from Shrink Wrap) warn of the following:
What’s really interesting is that this compromised sense of self becomes hardens [...]

Read Full Post »

DSM-V and Some New Diagnoses

Just a little piece on the DSM-V update at the Los Angeles Times. Written by Christopher Lane, author of the fascinating Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness. Lane has done extensive research into the processes involved in the creation of the DSM. Many of them were quite arbitrary. Here’s a quote from the Times article:
Not [...]

Read Full Post »

Prescription Privileges and Standard of Care

It sometimes appears that there’s nothing left to say on this topic — yet there’s occasionally a new wrinkle.
One issue that comes up is whether having a client go for a medication consult is what’s called “standard of care”. Essentially, “standard of care” means that there is some consensus within the profession that minimally competent practice [...]

Read Full Post »

Changing Landscape of Infidelity

The New York Times ran an interesting article on marital infidelity recently. One of the openers is that of women polled face-to-face one percent admitted to infidelity. On a computer questionnaire the number was up to 6 percent.
It’s hard, on the verge of an election that has been heavily polled, not to wonder if similar [...]

Read Full Post »