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6 comments

1 Aye Pod  Sun, Aug 12, 2012 3:52:17am
Why is psychiatry forced to rely on a grab bag of symptoms to make its diagnoses? Because, fundamentally, it has nothing else to offer. The cause of the overwhelming majority of psychiatric disorders remains as obscure as ever. Periodic weightless claims, endorsed by credulous science journalists, that schizophrenia is triggered by a newly discovered gene or by a dopamine deficiency in the brain, or that people suffering from depression have a shortage of serotonin, which can be reversed by taking a Selective Seratonin Reuptake Inhibitor (SSRI) such as Prozac to immerse their synapses in a serotonin bath, are so much biobabble ­­­— scientific nonsense that has proved good marketing copy for Big Pharma but is otherwise worthless.

Not sure how the author is able to assert that a newly discovered gene linked to schizophrenia is an example of 'biobabble', however there is certainly a clear lack of understanding of the precise physical causes of serious conditions like schizophrenia, which follows from our at best hazy understanding of how the brain normally works.

It's hard to see how medicines can really become more effective without that understanding, and while progress is being made in neuroscience, that may still be some time away.

2 Three Chord Monty  Sun, Aug 12, 2012 8:48:09am

From the linked article:

"Among the most zealous critics of the expanding psychiatric empire have been two unlikely souls: Robert Spitzer, the principal architect of DSM III, and Allen Frances, who played a similarly large role in the construction of DSM IV."

Allen Frances's blog is here

[Link: www.psychologytoday.com...]

Recently he became aware of the efforts of a DSM-5 critic who publishes a blog covering developments surrounding the publication of this upcoming volume, and some of the implications, and possibilities. Last December, the APA went after her.

[Link: www.psychologytoday.com...]

The blogger is a friend of mine. She keeps track meticulously, of changes that affect both DSM-5, and the revisions of ICD codings, as well. She is one person, operating on her own, in the South of England. I wouldn't want her as an adversary.

[Link: dxrevisionwatch.com...]

3 b_sharp  Sun, Aug 12, 2012 9:01:24am

This article is nothing but right-wing psychobabble.
And yes, ResearchOK I know the link is to your blog.

4 Destro  Sun, Aug 12, 2012 10:51:43am

re: #3 b_sharp

This article is nothing but right-wing psychobabble.
And yes, ResearchOK I know the link is to your blog.

Why does the right wing seem to hate psychiatry almost as much as Scientologists?

5 Three Chord Monty  Sun, Aug 12, 2012 11:40:56am

Are you suggesting that the issues surrounding DSM-5 are some combination of 1) 'hating' psychiatry, 2) Scientologists (Allen Frances, a Scientologist?), or 'right-wing' (wtf)?

Is this 'right-wing' also?

[Link: www.nytimes.com...]

6 researchok  Sun, Aug 12, 2012 4:31:46pm

re: #2 Three Chord Monty

Good links.

TY


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