Who writes the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of psychiatric disorders?

[undergroundpanther]

MindFreedom International - please forward
Human Rights in Mental Health - 26 Dec. 2008

BELOW, the main weekly newspaper in Eugene, Oregon, USA -- home of
MindFreedom International -- published a brief article about how
psychiatrist Darrel A. Regier is a link between revising the "label bible" of psychiatry and the drug industry.

Dr. Regier is in charge of preparing the new, fifth version of the
American Psychiatric Association's (APA) powerful "Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual" (DSM). Dr. Regier has forced psychiatrists
participating in the DSM process sign a secrecy agreement, and he has refused to respond to contacts from organizations such as
MindFreedom, despite encouragement from World Health Organization.

Dr. Regier is also head of the APA's "APIRE," their research arm that collects millions of dollars in psychiatric drug company donations to psychiatry.

In the article, MindFreedom's director David W. Oaks says that
democracy needs to get hands on with psychiatry in order to "green"
the mental health system.

AT BOTTOM is more info, including a web page of links to how Dr.
Regier connects the dots between the DSM and psychiatric drug
industry corruption.

~~~~~~~

Eugene Weekly, Oregon, USA - 24 December 2008

Greening of Mental Health?

by Ted Taylor, Editor

Psychiatrists are wrestling with changes in definitions and diagnoses
that will be included in the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The final edition will have consequences for insurance reimbursement, research and
individuals' psychological identity for years to come, according to a Dec. 18 story by Benedict Carey in The New York Times. But will the content reflect any input from millions of mental health patients?"We definitely tried to have input and dialogue, and there was none allowed. Period," says David Oaks, executive director of MindFreedom
International, based in Eugene.

MindFreedom was founded to advocate against forced
medication, physical restraints and involuntary electroconvulsive
therapy, says Oaks. Members worldwide identify themselves as
survivors of human rights violations in a mental health system
heavily influenced by outdated practices and pharmaceutical interests.

says Dr. Darrel A. Regier, a key figure in the new DSM, is
also head of the special "research" wing of the American Psychiatric Association. APIRE, an independent component of the APA, the DSM and "tends to get millions upon millions of drug company dollars."

"Even though Dr. Regier got federal money to hold international
seminars on the 'future of psychiatric diagnosis,' he has absolutely refused to even respond to civil inquiries from anyone outside his closed-door process," says Oaks.

Oaks says a prominent official with the World Health Organization's mental health section, "has twice personally asked Dr. Regier to respond to requests from MindFreedom about having mental health consumer input in the re-writing of the DSM," and was told "no." "So these few hundred unelected mainly rich, mainly white males are cooking up behavioral guidelines for us all, with zero input from the public who is impacted by these rules."

MindFreedom is working to break the undemocratic domination of mental health care by the medical establishment, says Oaks. "Our issue is kind of like where energy policy was in the 1950s, totally dominated by the system. Now we're pushing for 'greening of mental health,' to allow for more holistic, empowering, non-chemical approaches, and especially direct involvement by citizens in helping to plan mental and emotional well-being programs."

The revised DSM, due out in about three years, is expected to reflect some public pressures. Early editions of the book defined
homosexuality as a mental disorder. Protests by gay activists
provoked a scientific review, and the diagnosis was dropped in 1973, replaced by "sexual orientation disturbance," and then "ego-dystonic homosexuality." Homosexuality as a disorder was dropped from the book in 1987. Some GLBTQ activists are now lobbying for similar changes regarding gender identity issues, but others are wanting to keep transgender identity as a formal diagnosis so that treatment or surgery can be covered by insurance.

The story can be found by a web search for "NYTimes DSM," and
MindFreedom International's website is www.mindfreedom.org -- Ted
Taylor, Editor, Eugene Weekly

- end -

original article
http://www.eugeneweekly.com/2008/12/24/news.html#1

APIRE is the repository for much of the millions of dollars that the psychiatric drug industry pours into the American Psychiatric
Association and its related organizations. As director of APIRE, Dr. Regier also is in charge of the new DSM.

For a version of above with links at bottom to more info about APA, DSM, Dr. Regier and APIRE:
http://www.mindfreedom.org/campaign/media/mf/greening-mental-health

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ACTIONS:

** Ask your Congressperson to investigate the links between Dr.
Regier, APIRE, APA, psychiatric drug industry, and DSM.

** Mark your calendar: MindFreedom plans another protest of APA
Annual Meeting in San Francisco, May 2009! Attend, or plan actions
wherever you are from May to July.

** Join MindFreedom! For information about joining MindFreedom today,
click here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join-donate

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

PLEASE FORWARD THIS NEWS!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

MindFreedom International Office:

454 Willamette, Suite 216 - POB 11284; Eugene, OR 97440-3484 USA

web site: http://www.mindfreedom.org
e-mail: [e-mail]
MFI member services phone: [phone]
MFI member services toll free: 1-877-MAD-PRIDe or 1-877-623-7743
fax: [phone]

~~~~~~~~~~~~

MindFreedom International is a 100 percent independent nonprofit
united to win activist campaigns for human rights and alternatives in
mental health.

Open to the public, most members identify themselves as individuals
who have personally experienced human rights violations in the mental
health system.

Support voices for choices in mental health. Mind your freedom!

Join now or renew early here:

http://www.mindfreedom.org/join-donate

Please forward.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

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[Confusious]

1. YES!

Let have millions of untrained lay-men rewrite the books on psychiatry. That'll do wonders for the mental health of everybody! Lets not force medications on those who really need it, and might walk into a McDonalds with a shotgun if they don't take it, or the teenagers who are thinking about taking thier lives not get the meds they need!

YESYESYES!!!

MindCrime should join the church of Scientology, they probably have similar feelings!

Oh I forgot the boogy-men of rich white males writing it also! ssssccccaaaarrryyy

'So these few hundred unelected mainly rich, mainly white males are cooking up behavioral guidelines for us all, with zero input from the public who is impacted by these rules.'

And there not elected!!!! HOW DARE THEY!! Don't they know we vote on scientific theories???!!! If we wanted to, we could hold a vote and their would be no more GRAVITY!!!!

[HysteryDiagnosis]

4. Early editions of the book defined homosexuality as a mental disorder.

All the medications in the world will not address biochemical imbalances.


www.orthomed.org

Hypertension
A 50-year-old man had a history of elevated blood pressure for at least 10 years, Thorough medical evaluation had disclosed no evident cause for the hypertension. He was not overweight. He had been treated with antihypertensive medications with "moderately good control" of the blood pressure. The man sought orthomolecular treatment because of medication side effects that he had experienced through the years. Body chemical analysis identified low levels of most minerals, especially magnesium, He was placed on mineral supplements with particular attention to magnesium. He was also treated with an herbal mixture that had been formulated specifically for hypertension.Within a 6-month period, without change in diet or exercise, the man was free of prescription medications and his blood pressure remained entirely in the normal range.

Middle-Aged Depression
A 45-year-old executive had become restless during the day. His attention wandered, He couldn't sleep at night and was constipated. His thinking was beset by notions of inferiority and disillusion. His physicians had treated him with antidepressant drugs for several years with moderately good results. He sought another treatment option.The man was placed on a program consisting of L-tryptophan at bedtime (1000 mgms.) and L-phenylalanine (1000 mg.) in the a.m. At noon he took phosphatidyl choline (1200 mg.) along with supporting vitamins and minerals. Among these were 6 grams of vitamin C and 150 mgms. of niacin daily.
The man remained on this regimen for a year with good results. With good sleep at night and markedly improved bowel pattern, his days were no longer restless and he was able to focus on his work. Furthermore, his thoughts became distinctly "upbeat" and his self-confidence greatly improved.

Teenager with Low Blood Sugar
Suzy was flagging in high school. She had difficulty staying awake in the afternoon despite obtaining 8 hours of sleep at night. She often awoke in the morning with suboccipital headaches. Suzy described her thoughts as fuzzy or spacey most of the time. Her weight was increasing at an abnormal rate.
Because of her symptoms along with a positive family history of diabetes mellitus, a 6-hour glucose tolerance test was ordered. The values were:

Fasting 62 mg present
1/2 hour 80 mg present
1 hour 76 mg present
2 hours 74 mg present
3 hours 64 mg present
4 hours 34 mg present
5 hours 48 mg present
6 hours 58 mg present

The glucose tolerance curve was abnormal (low, flat curve with abnormally low 4 hour nadir). The diagnosis of low blood sugar was established. Suzy was placed on a microalgae supplement and treated with glucose tolerance factor derived from yeast. She was instructed in proper diet and commenced eating fish, shellfish, vegetables, whole grains, and some fresh fruits. In between meals she snacked on soy cheese, tofu and brown rice wafers, seeds, or nuts.

She promptly ceased gaining weight and soon was losing weight at the rate of 1-2 pounds per week. She became more alert, lost her afternoon somnolence and had no further headaches. Whenever she ace sweets or missed meals she noted a return of "brain fog". After 6 months, however, she was able to consume an occasional sweet without adverse effects.

Jekyll-and-Hyde Child (Mood Swings)
A 4-year-old boy was incorrigible. The mother called him a Jekyll and Hyde. One day he was an angel - cooperative - the next, a devil - destructive. At his worst he stuck out at others, threw things, held his breath, and was defiant to everyone, Sleep habits were very poor. He either prowled all night or rocked back and forth "incessantly". Laboratory testing of hair showed high levels of lead and cadmium. Blood mineral analysis indicated low levels of calcium, magnesium, and zinc and corroborated an excess of lead. No evident source of heavy metals was able to be found in the environment.Supplements of calcium, magnesium, and zinc were administered.

Vitamin C, administered by means of a buffered, neutral pH powder, was increased in dosage gradually to bowel tolerance. The lad was able to consume 5 grams daily. Other supporting vitamins were also taken. A prompt improvement in the youth's behaviour occurred. Fewer bad days were noted and on those days the boy was able to be dealt with by his parents whereas previously there was no control. As time passed, the mood swings abated. Six months after the institution of treatment, follow up tests showed improved levels of calcium, magnesium and zinc. Lead excess was found again but the levels of lead were only half of the original levels. Cadmium was not found to be excessive at this time.Continued supplementation was carried out. The source of heavy metal excess was never found but the boy's behaviour was steady at a good level as long as he took his supplements.

[Confusious]

8. And all the vitamins and exercise in the world

Won't cure obsessive compulsive disorder or major depressive disorder.

Example -> ME.

Or bipolar disorder

Example -> Friends of mine.

Its not always the doctors looking to give out meds, its the parents or the patients looking for a quick fix.

And as for homosexuality being in the DSM, its not any longer. Everyone used to think the world was flat. Were they stupid? or misinformed? By your judgment, they were stupid, and no one should listen to them.

[HysteryDiagnosis]

11. Stubborn perhaps.... maybe more. n/t

[HysteryDiagnosis]

12. Not vitamins, but just as important mebbe more

1: Lipids. 2008 Nov;43(11):1031-8. Epub 2008 Sep 10.Links
Long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated Fatty acids in the blood of children and adolescents with juvenile bipolar disorder.
Clayton EH, Hanstock TL, Hirneth SJ, Kable CJ, Garg ML, Hazell PL.

NSW Department of Primary Industries, Wagga Wagga Agricultural Institute, Pine Gully Rd, Wagga Wagga, NSW, 2650, Australia, [e-mail].

Reduced long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (LCn-3PUFA), including eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), have been reported in adult patients suffering from depression and bipolar disorder (BD). LCn-3PUFA status has not previously been examined in children and adolescents with BD compared with healthy controls. Fifteen children and adolescents (9-18 years, M +/- SD = 14.4 +/- 3.48) diagnosed with juvenile bipolar disorder (JBD) and fifteen healthy age and sex-matched controls were assessed for dietary intake and fasting red blood cell (RBC) membrane concentrations of LCn-3PUFA. Fatty acid concentrations were compared between participants diagnosed with JBD and controls after controlling for dietary intake.

RBC membrane concentrations of EPA and DHA were not significantly lower in participants diagnosed with JBD compared with healthy controls (M +/- sem EPA = 3.37 +/- 0.26 vs. 3.69 +/- 0.27 microg/mL, P = 0.458; M +/- sem DHA = 22.08 +/- 2.23 vs. 24.61 +/- 2.38 microg/mL, P = 0.528) after controlling for intake. Red blood cell DHA was negatively (r = -0.55; P = 0.044) related to clinician ratings of depression. Although lower RBC concentrations of LCn-3PUFA were explained by lower intakes in the current study, previous evidence has linked reduced LCn-3PUFA to the aetiology of BD. As RBC DHA was also negatively related to symptoms of depression, a randomised placebo-controlled study examining supplementation with LCn-3PUFA as an adjunct to standard pharmacotherapy appears warranted in this patient population.

1: Curr Opin Investig Drugs. 2008 Jan;9(1):57-64.Links
The role of omega-3 fatty acids in mood disorders.
Stahl LA, Begg DP, Weisinger RS, Sinclair AJ.

La Trobe University, School of Psychological Science, Bundoora, VIC, Australia.

Research has established that docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), a long-chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), plays a fundamental role in brain structure and function. Epidemiological and cross-sectional studies have also identified a role for long-chain omega-3 PUFA, which includes DHA, eicosapentaenoic acid, and docosapentaenoic acid, in the etiology of depression. In the past ten years, there have been 12 intervention studies conducted using various preparations of longchain omega-3 PUFA in unipolar and bipolar depression. The majority of these studies administered long-chain omega-3 PUFA as an adjunct therapy. The studies have been conducted over 4 to 16 weeks of intervention and have often included small cohorts.

In four out of the seven studies conducted in depressed individuals and in two out of the five studies in bipolar patients, individuals have reported a positive outcome following supplementation with ethyl-eicosapentaenoic acid or fish oil containing long-chain omega-3 PUFA. In the three trials that researched the influence of DHA-rich preparations, no significant effects were reported. The mechanisms that have been invoked to account for the benefits of long-chain omega-3 PUFA in depression include reductions in prostaglandins derived from arachidonic acid, which lead to decreased brain-derived neurotrophic factor levels and/or alterations in blood flow to the brain.

[HEyHEY]

17. You're awesome

And I'm not being sarcastic. Spot on!

[Richardo]

19. I for one welcome our lay-person committee overlords

Nice one, Confusious :D:thumbsup:

[Deja Q]

20. Who's "MindCrime"?

[SoCalDem]

23. The wikipedia of mental health

:eyes:

Right now it's all pretty much a moot topic anyway.. Mental health care is unavailable to many of the people who need it the most..and drugs are NOT the answer.. they may a a part of the treatment, but a pill cannot substitute for a safe place with a neutral person listening to people..

Many mentally ill people need a sounding board, and someone to listen to them, as they work out their issues.The need a person who will listen to them and guide them..and not be someone IN their private life..

[Ichingcarpenter]

2. A necessary Discussion

That the soviet's used to their political advantage to as a define political psychological
dissidents, which the west, at that time, didn't buy.

My biggest worry right now is that studies from the 50s,
that looked into the NAZIS, giving Pain, and the tolerance
to see it given over the years, in a dosage, to desinsighize but they never recognized it
or acknowlege those studies that Americans did to find out
how normal human beings can sometimes be assholes.

[ColbertWatcher]

3. Scientists do. Shouldn't this be in the 9/11 conspiracy forum? n/t

[Cerridwen]

5. Or it could be filed under "History; a cautionary tale." See for example:

the "medical" definitions, negritude, and its symptoms. Follow that with research into drapetomania, the disease that caused slaves to try to flee slavery; overseers called it "Rascality". See also, Benjamin Rush, M.D. (a signer of the Declaration of Independence) and Samual Cartwright, a noted authority on "diseases" that afflicted African Americans; his description of Dysaethesia aethiopica is particularly enlightening.

You could then follow that research to learn about Frances Farmer, the Madonna of her day. Unfortunately for her, society wasn't quite ready for that kind of woman so she was lobotamized. Well, it "cured" her - of something. She's an iconic figure of how "women's problems" and "the problems of women" were "medicalized" and reduced to personal and genetic failings of "hysterical" women.

Of course, there was also the "medical" doctor from Harvard who warned young women that acquiring education would cause their uterus to atrophy. He published a study and everything. He was frequently quoted in the press of his day to justify "protecting" women from our "baser" needs, such as, ya know, learning and stuff.

Then as noted above, you can research the "mental illness" known as homosexuality, as it was once codified in "medical" tracts, including the DSMV.

The "medical" field has a long history of using "science" to justify the status quo and marginalize and punish those who refuse to go along.

See modern day examples of "scientists" disputing global warming or spreading the "warning" that abortion causes cancer or mental illness, as just two examples. Do you think they have an agenda that has anything to do with science or medicine; or could they have another agenda?

Every instance I've written above has been documented and reported for decades; some of the evidence is even posted on the internet making it easy to research. Theories? Not quite. Conspiracies? Gee, I wonder. Rather than "conspiracy theory," here's one for you, "cui bono," "for whose benefit."



"The strong go crazy; the weak go along" author unknown


edit; misspelled a word

[undergroundpanther]

15. mental illness

is mostly a societal disease that ruins individuals. The DSM is created to benefit those who want things to be perceived this way and to put blame the individual,and marginalize them based on biological inferiority(brain fucked up)and to ignore the cultural forces ( social rank for instance)that put pressure upon individuals..Mental illness is not an individual -only-problem.

In countries we call"third world" the rates of severe lifelong mental illness are lower then ours is.Why is that?
http://www.power2u.org/articles/recovery/people_can.html

Is it because in an INDUSTRIAL empire someone somewhere wanted most people to be raised to be malleable,controllable,passive,obedient and powerless and trust in symbolic authority,traet it as if it has power over them ,obey it even if it goes against their inner sense of right and wrong(see Stanford Prison Experiment.)see how easy people are influenced and do not question the validity of what symbolic authority /figures, like doctors lawyers,other 'professionals' police...etc. call real or truth.

And asshole people DO fuck up other peoples lives,it's called bullying and "crazymaking"..for a reason.
http://www.bullyonline.org/stress/health.htm
http://bobsutton.typepad.com/my_weblog/2006/06/the_no_asshole_.html

[TEmperorHasNoClothes]

6. you have to realize the purpose of the dsm

The DSM is primarily used for insurance purposes, as a way to code psychiatric conditions for payment. There is a panel of experts in specific disorders who work on refining the disagnoses, whether that be renaming (MPD was changed to DID), changing criteria (identifying classes of bipolar), adding or subtracting (removing homosexuality) etc. Since the DSM is only revamped every 5-10 years, changes are slow to occur. The DSM isn't a treatment manual and doesn't indicate whether or not medications are prescribed and if so, at what level. Generally, patients don't benefit from taking medication for conditions they don't have. If anything, incorrect meds can have grave reactions. For instance if someone with bipolar I is misidenitifed as having major depression, an SSRI antidepressant can cause a manic reaction and no psychiatrist or drug company wants to see that.
I've been a Phd Psychologist for over a decade working in in and out patient settings. Credible doctors prescribe with caution and not based soley on DSM diagnoses. For each disorder, there are usually multiple available medications. MDs without psychiatirc training generally have less knowledge in the nitty gritty ins and outs of the different meds. Most psychiatrists don't prescribe medication as a first line of defense. Of course, there are always lazy folks in every profession who will do the bare minimum.
As a member of the LGBT community, I have mixed feelings about Gender Identity Disorder, particularly because of where it's currently placed (with sexual disorders such as pedophelia). I think it's more of an Axis II condition, not something to be cured, but to be adjusted to. The fact is, having GID is, at some point in the person's life, a cause of internal distress at the very least. To have the most fulfilling life, in my opinion, people with GID need to figure out what they want to do in terms of finding their place in society. I know the word disorder tends toward pathologizing the condition, but therapists and doctors with experience in empathically working with patients (not the wack jobs who want to pray it away or "cure" it) to accept themselves and clarify their lives are thinking more of helping the individuals rather than pathologizing them.
In my experience, the people who have the most problem with the DSM are lay folks who give more power to the DSM than professionals working in the field.

[Flubadubya]

7. Thank you for providing this professional perspective...

I am a lay person but work for a psychiatrist and a psychologist. I consider them to both be very good at what they do. I am sure there are other, as you say, "lazy" people in this field who do not do their best.

Nonetheless, it is, at least, somewhat amusing to see all the "alarms" going off over this subject. Lay people could benefit by at least looking into (without prejudice) what psychiatry and psychology are really about.

[undergroundpanther]

16. I have

Do you know the HISTORY of Psychology/psychiatry?
It is important to note that the very presence of a physician during torture compounds the victim’s suffering by emphasizing that even the assumed humanity of medicine.

I suggest you look into it.

Links.
http://www.iaapa.ch/
http://www.neurodiversity.com/psychiatry.html
http://autismdiva.blogspot.com/2005/11/dr-freeman-was-just-trying-to-help_16.html
http://www.thehastingscenter.org/Publications/BriefingBook/Detail.aspx?id=2208
http://www.ucl.ac.uk/news/news-articles/0803/08030301
http://www.reason.com/news/show/28404.html
Shrinks I respect
http://radicalpsychology.org/
http://psyact.org/
And what kind of people in places of power in psychiatry has been infested with,so nobody in treatment ever really gets better..
http://thelastpsychiatrist.com/2008/10/psychopathy_antisocial_persona.html#more

[HEyHEY]

21. I got better

I have OCD, it was terrible for years, I went into treatment and I'm much better now.

[foxfeet]

13. A good summation.

I did some peripheral work on DSM-III back in the '70s. The DSM does not prescribe treatment or best practices. It may be used (aside from insurance billing) as a means of ensuring consistent diagnosis across participants in research studies. Before the arrival of DSM-III, one could never be sure that individual persons' illnesses had been diagnosed using the same set of criteria. Older versions at times relied on postulated internal constructs (as in psychoanalysis), rather than upon observable behaviors. The relatively newer format has led to criticism that the DSM is just a "Chinese menu" of criteria (e.g. pick one from column A, one from column B). It is not a perfect document and is acknowledged as such, but it is a definite improvement and more science-based approach than its predecessors.

[Midlodemocrat]

14. As a child and adolescent psychologist, I have to disagree with your points.

I practiced in CT during the late 80s. Insurance wasn't the factor it is today.

Additionally, I disagree completely with your statement that GID folks 'need to find their place in society'. I believe it to be physiological. I believe that people can and are born with birth defects that result in their having their external genitalia not match their internal reproductive organs.

Those folks should absolutely and completely be given the opportunity to change their gender. It was in the wrong to start with.

That being said, I generally disagree with the OP on the subject of psychiatry or psychology. I have seen both help far more than it has hurt.

And, BTW, welcome to DU!!!!

[AngryAmish]

9. A committee. Same as the Bible.

[fishbulb703]

10. Main interest: retaining power.

[varkam]

18. Yeah. Except one doesn't burn you alive if you disagree with them. eom

[Odin2005]

22. Those pesky neuroscientists and psychologists the Scientology morons hate.

And I'm gonna punch the next person who says that my Asperger's Syndrome, ADD, and Depression are "all in my head".