Redefining Crazy; the DSM-5 is being finalized, and will be published soon. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV) has been mentioned or discussed on these forums occassionaly, and is well familiar to those of us who have such disorders, or perhaps have a suffering family member or loved-one.
For those too lazy to read the article (short attention span disorder;)), it basically covers the ongoing criticism of the DSM Committees' continuous expansion of Mental Illness definitions to cover virtually everything (PC), including "Binge-Eating" Disorder, Childhood Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (tantrums), skin-picking, hoarding and obsessive hair pulling. Thus far, the predicted "Catch-22 Disorder" has yet to manifest.
On the other hand, the DSM series has been an important psychiatric and counselling tool because of two things. First, it includes not only the symptoms of mental illness - like any self-help paperback or Website - but also the actual diagnostic criteria that positively defines the disease and differentiates it from others.
Most crucially, however, the DSM provides the coverage codes for insurance reimbursement. If a mental healthcare provider wishes to get paid, he has to plug his patient into an officially sanctioned disease. This has been especially important for childhood autism, which has exploded across the American landscape in the last two decades, and will in the DSM-V be classified as "Autism Spectrum Disorder". An increasinglly all-inclusive definition not only has paid the student loans for thousands of Licensed Therapists everywhere, but has obliged school systems to expensively accommodate troubled childred and provide extra services.
For those too lazy to read the article (short attention span disorder;)), it basically covers the ongoing criticism of the DSM Committees' continuous expansion of Mental Illness definitions to cover virtually everything (PC), including "Binge-Eating" Disorder, Childhood Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder (tantrums), skin-picking, hoarding and obsessive hair pulling. Thus far, the predicted "Catch-22 Disorder" has yet to manifest.
On the other hand, the DSM series has been an important psychiatric and counselling tool because of two things. First, it includes not only the symptoms of mental illness - like any self-help paperback or Website - but also the actual diagnostic criteria that positively defines the disease and differentiates it from others.
Most crucially, however, the DSM provides the coverage codes for insurance reimbursement. If a mental healthcare provider wishes to get paid, he has to plug his patient into an officially sanctioned disease. This has been especially important for childhood autism, which has exploded across the American landscape in the last two decades, and will in the DSM-V be classified as "Autism Spectrum Disorder". An increasinglly all-inclusive definition not only has paid the student loans for thousands of Licensed Therapists everywhere, but has obliged school systems to expensively accommodate troubled childred and provide extra services.