Yesterday I received the following email from a reader. “What’s your stance on eccentricity? How do you relate to the general view in the APA that deviation from cultural norms is pathological? And, have you ever read about David Weeks? I consider myself an eccentric person with many quirks and some fetishes. While I have… Continue Reading
Archives for March 2012
Intrusive Thoughts
I recently received the following email from a reader: “I was wondering what your thoughts were on intrusive thoughts and anxiety problems or what some people call pure ocd. I have had problems for as long as I can remember. There is so much information out there it gets confusing. I don’t believe these are… Continue Reading
“Normal” Bereavement
There was a nice article in the Lancet last month. The article posed the question: “When should grief be classified as a mental illness?” The author criticized the APA’s draft version of DSM-5 for blurring the distinction and for making it more likely that people in bereavement will be “diagnosed” as depressed and, of course,… Continue Reading
Major Tranquilizers and Seniors
In 1997 I worked part-time for a nursing home. This facility had an open-door policy and had a reputation in the state for being able to accommodate even the most difficult and unmanageable clients. Some of this reputation was attributable to their generous administration of major tranquilizers, but in addition there was a high level… Continue Reading