Behaviorism and Mental Health

Alternative perspective on psychiatry's so-called mental disorders | PHILIP HICKEY, PH.D.

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Criticism of DSM-5

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Christopher Lane, author of Shyness: How Normal Behavior Became a Sickness, has a new post, in which he attacks the APA for including somatic symptom disorder (SSD) in the upcoming DSM-5. Dr. Lane quotes from Allen Francis (former DSM guru who has now seen the light) and Suzy Chapman, a UK health advocate.  Both of… Continue Reading

Childhood Bipolar Disorder

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Prior to about 1994, childhood bipolar disorder was virtually unheard of.  DSM-III-R (1987), in the section on manic episode, states, “…studies indicate that the mean age at onset is in the early 20s.  However…a sizable number of new cases appear after age 50.”(p 216)  Of course a mean age of onset in the early 20’s… Continue Reading

DSM-5: More of the Same – Turf Expansion

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Until now, I’ve pretty much steered clear of DSM-5.  My reason for this is that the upcoming revision represents, to my mind, a distraction from the central issue, i.e., that the whole notion of mental illness is spurious, destructive nonsense. My position is that the purpose of DSM is to expand psychiatric turf and to legitimize… Continue Reading

More Cracks in the Sandcastle

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Christopher Lane has a post up on Psychology Today (May 14 2012) called:  DSM-5 Is Diagnosed, With a Stinging Rebuke to the APA. About a year ago, the APA announced the new “diagnoses” that they proposed to include in the upcoming DSM-5.  This kind of expansion is nothing new.  The APA has been engaged in… Continue Reading