British Psychologists Find Fault With DSM-V

[marmar]

via truthdig:



England’s Division of Clinical Psychology, which represents more than 10,000 practitioners, has criticized the latest edition of the field’s leading diagnostic manual for its categorizing of normal behaviors—such as shyness in children and depression after the death of a loved one—as medical problems treatable with drugs.

The debate centers on whether behaviors that are clinically labeled as disorders have either biological or social sources, or some combination of the two. The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual, published this month, treats mental health as a biological issue.

The British group is calling for a shift in the way mental health is viewed and treated, saying that practitioners of psychology should look for personal and social causes of perceived aberrations rather than behaving as if they were doctors of physical medicine.

“In essence, instead of asking ‘What is wrong with you?’ we need to ask ‘What has happened to you?’ ” said Dr. Lucy Johnstone, a consultant clinical psychologist who helped draw up a statement the group released on the matter. “Once we know that, we can draw on psychological evidence to show how life events and the sense that people make of them have led to the current difficulties.” ...........................(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.truthdig.com/eartotheground/item/psychologists_criticize_the_dsm-v_20130516/?ln

[ananda]

1. The whole DSM should be scrapped..

.. along with mechanistic medical science disguised as psychiatry.

[GiaGiovanni]

2. I agree with the Brits here

Many of these "diagnoses" seem to be merely excuses to promote corporate pharmaceuticals.