MSNBC just reported via Reuters on the flap over the DSM-5, the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders that psychiatrists use to diagnose mental illnesses. “More than 11,000 health professionals have already signed a petition (at http://dsm5-reform.com) calling for the development of the fifth edition of the manual to be halted and re-thought,” says the article.

The article then talks about a number of proposed new mental illness diagnoses, some of which are, I agree, tough to swallow. For example, creating diagnoses for sex criminals “may allow offenders to escape prison by providing what could be seen as an excuse for their behavior,” says the article. Such diagnoses could indeed lead to legal nightmares, to be sure. And yet – you gotta admit some sexual predators certainly are sick.

There are two things, though, that bother me about the news report. The first is this statement: Continue reading →