Help change the DSM-V

[pyraxis]

The APA (American Psychiatric Association) workgroups who are considering proposed changes to the DSM-V have opened up a website to comments from clinicians and other interested people.

All you have to do is register on www.dsm5.org, then log in and select a condition from the Proposed Revisions menu.

Autistics, multiples, anyone else who could be diagnosed with a condition that's being revised, I'm looking at you. ;)

Members of ksol1460 on AstraeasWeb wrote an excellent summary here of the proposed changes to Dissociative Identity Disorder. For the first time, they're considering a criterion that would require significant impairment in day-to-day functioning. There's also a criterion excluding possession experiences in the context of cultural practices and religion. IMO it could help remove some of the stigma attached to multiplicity, the assumption that it's automatically a disorder that must be fixed.

In terms of developmental disorders, they're merging Asperger's into Autism Spectrum Disorder and removing the requirement of early childhood speech delay. I know, this is old news, but this is the first I've heard that they're seeking feedback from the community. So if anyone objects, now's the time to say so.

They're accepting comments until June 15th.

Comments

[jimnightmare.livejournal.com]

Man, we're thinking about what the hell we'd want to write over here, but I can't get anywhere because really I think maybe I'd just kinda want to grab the DSM people by the shoulders and shake them and be like "Well you kinda understand some things a bit maybe sometimes... but SERIOUSLY WHAT THE HELL???" And I don't think writing that would be useful. Well maybe I'd feel better? I dunno. The whole system bugs me. :P

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

There are very few personal problems that cannot be solved through a suitable application of high explosives.

[jimnightmare.livejournal.com]

Lately I've been building weapons and swords and stuff out of pool noodles. Now I just need a button on my computer that can make a pool noodle fly out of a computer screen and hit somebody in the face. Now that would solve my problems!!!

I got the weird situation over here where my therapist is totally awesome about healthy multiplicity stuff and believes us and treats us like individuals and all that, but she won't say we got Dissociative Identity Disorder because she thinks the DSM is so much bullshit for that that we'd maybe lose credibility if we tried to associate us with that stuff. :P I still think that's funny.

"Dear DSM people. I want to hit you in the face with a pool noodle. Also my therapist hates you. <3 Jim Nightmare". And then a bunch of psychiatrists will read my comment all sitting around in a room scratching their beards and going "Ah, he must be the dumb alter".

[pyraxis]

How 'bout you co-opt paragraph two, expand it some to explain the background, and submit it as-is? What the hell, maybe it'll be a refresher in the middle of somebody's day to realize that if they don't move their asses and get with the program, even the therapists won't be taking them seriously.

[angiedub.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info. I knew there was a revision in the works, but this is the first time I heard of a request for input by those most affected. Must be related to all those Ayn Rand Repubs with their social Darwinism.

[pyraxis]

They may be underestimating the momentum of an internet meme. The registration system is clearly geared towards professionals, with spaces for professional affiliations and warnings that your regular APA login will not work.

I can't fathom how it would be influenced by social darwinism, though?

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

Well, I did my little bit towards the "internet meme":

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-5#Criticism_of_DSM-5
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dissociative_identity_disorder#Diagnosis
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DSM-5#Dissociative_identity_disorder

Hah hah hah hah.

They didn't even have "dissociative identity disorder" on the DSM-5 proposed changes section. Until I put it there.

Coming up: Chris Akanora creates a Youtube on this subject.

[pyraxis]

Woot! Thank you!

Who is Chris Akanora?

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

Me!

[pyraxis]

Hi! :D Uh, welcome back to Earth? Welcome back to the airwaves? Is that right?

I like your icon.

- j-t

[angiedub.livejournal.com]

I was thinking along the lines of people who need help falling through the cracks if the DSM can be rewritten in such a way that those people no qualify for assistance.

[ksol1460.livejournal.com]

I think it's a political move on their part. When word got out that the DSM-V was to be compiled behind closed doors, there was a good deal of backlash on behalf of some members of the psychiatric community as well as the general public. There has since been some backpedalling and retrenching on this, and I believe the call for public input was inspired by this controversy. It is a small step, and much more needs to be done.

In my personal opinion, they should throw the whole bloody thing out, but if they must have it, the least they can do is ask clients and potential clients for their opinions, and take them seriously -- not just regard the responses themselves as signs of mental illness.