insearchof
Senior Member
- Messages
- 598
Your help is needed NOW!
AN URGENT CALL TO ACTION
CALLING ALL SCRIBES and ADVOCATES
Put aside:
XMRV, WPI Fund Raising, Science invites to retract papers, Pace Trial Concerns
for a day or two.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED HERE and NOW:Sign Help:
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is calling for its second public review and comment period for the proposed draft revisions to DSM IV and the criterias for existing and new mental illnesses.
We have less than 2 weeks (12 days) to raise our concerns !
The deadline for submissions is 15th June 2011
The APA is in the process of modifying the manual it uses to classify and diagnose psychiatric illnesses. It is moving from DSM IV to DSM 5
ME CFS FMS are complex illnesses, largely misunderstood and currently seen as pyschosomatic disorders.
The changes proposed to the Somtaoform illnesses of DSM IV and the way some diagnostic definitions have been currently drafted for the proposed DSM 5 will mean that should these go through in their current format, then as a group we will become quite vulnerable to receiving a psychiatric diagnosis in addition to our existing diagnosis(es) be they ME CFS FMS or XMRV.
These changes are proposed to operate as a bolt on diagnosis to all medical conditions.
Should this go through, I anticipate a large educational campaign by the psychiatric lobby. Should this happen, it is not hard to see us getting a somatoform psychiatric diagnosis in addition to our existing ones, and how our existing diagnoses ( in the context of medical treatment and care), could become secondary .
Should that happen, then adequate medical investigation of underlying symptoms, co existing undiagnosed organic disease, treatment and care may be very difficult to secure.
These changes affect Americans directly, but the DSMs are also used to varying degrees outside of the USA and so stand to affect us all.
Aside from stigma and the possible inability to receive adequate/appropriate health care to address and or manage biological symptoms, the reforms also have implications for:
* general research,
*the law
*who is and who might not be regarded as mentally healthy
* who might or might not be regarded as disabled (which may be especially relevant under insurance schemes)
*travel as I understand a diagnosis of mental illness may result in visa refusals in some countries?
Here is what you can do
1. write a brief submission and
2. tell one other professional and ME CFS FMS org about this with a request they put in a submission too.
3. provide a copy to ME Agenda / Suzy Chapman for inclusion on her website.
Professionals:
*doctors,
*academics,
*researchers,
*other allied health care workers,
*health institutes,
*lawyers,
*Law Societies,
*politicians
If your late to this topic:
No need to worry
I have provided a little over view with a list of some arguments to help you write a submission.
There are probably others but this is designed to give you a start.
Keep in mind:
It does not have to be long. :headache:
Select one or two points that concern you most if you want to keep it simple.
Add a personal anecdote :mask:
If you wish to use any criticisms listed feel free but please do not cut and paste.
Put the ideas in your own words because to be effective the submissions should be your own.
I do not think it would look good if the APA receives hundreds of template or pro forma replies.
SO COME ON! All of you 4,000 plus intelligent forum members! Take some time out from posting or lurking here and knock up a short submission! You can make a difference! :victory:
For how to submit:
For details on how to make your submission to the APA, please see Suzy Chapmans post here: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?12165-Article-Coalition4ME-CFS-Puts-Out-Call-For-Action-on-DSM-5-Proposal&p=184202&viewfull=1#post184202
And here: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?12201-DSM-IV-proposed-reforms-for-DSM-5-URGENT-Submissions-needed-NOW.-Help-is-here!&p=184460&viewfull=1#post184460
Following sites and Forum threads may help:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?1893-the-psych-lobby-strikes-again-DSM-5-v.-WHO-s-ICD-in-the-US
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?12165-Article-Coalition4ME-CFS-Puts-Out-Call-For-Action-on-DSM-5-Proposal&p=184299#post184299
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showt...ht=Reevesville
DSM 5 ME Agenda Web Site:
http://wp.me/PKrrB-AQ
AN URGENT CALL TO ACTION
CALLING ALL SCRIBES and ADVOCATES
Put aside:
XMRV, WPI Fund Raising, Science invites to retract papers, Pace Trial Concerns
for a day or two.
YOUR HELP IS NEEDED HERE and NOW:Sign Help:
The American Psychiatric Association (APA) is calling for its second public review and comment period for the proposed draft revisions to DSM IV and the criterias for existing and new mental illnesses.
We have less than 2 weeks (12 days) to raise our concerns !
The deadline for submissions is 15th June 2011
The APA is in the process of modifying the manual it uses to classify and diagnose psychiatric illnesses. It is moving from DSM IV to DSM 5
ME CFS FMS are complex illnesses, largely misunderstood and currently seen as pyschosomatic disorders.
The changes proposed to the Somtaoform illnesses of DSM IV and the way some diagnostic definitions have been currently drafted for the proposed DSM 5 will mean that should these go through in their current format, then as a group we will become quite vulnerable to receiving a psychiatric diagnosis in addition to our existing diagnosis(es) be they ME CFS FMS or XMRV.
These changes are proposed to operate as a bolt on diagnosis to all medical conditions.
Should this go through, I anticipate a large educational campaign by the psychiatric lobby. Should this happen, it is not hard to see us getting a somatoform psychiatric diagnosis in addition to our existing ones, and how our existing diagnoses ( in the context of medical treatment and care), could become secondary .
Should that happen, then adequate medical investigation of underlying symptoms, co existing undiagnosed organic disease, treatment and care may be very difficult to secure.
These changes affect Americans directly, but the DSMs are also used to varying degrees outside of the USA and so stand to affect us all.
Aside from stigma and the possible inability to receive adequate/appropriate health care to address and or manage biological symptoms, the reforms also have implications for:
* general research,
*the law
*who is and who might not be regarded as mentally healthy
* who might or might not be regarded as disabled (which may be especially relevant under insurance schemes)
*travel as I understand a diagnosis of mental illness may result in visa refusals in some countries?
Here is what you can do
1. write a brief submission and
2. tell one other professional and ME CFS FMS org about this with a request they put in a submission too.
3. provide a copy to ME Agenda / Suzy Chapman for inclusion on her website.
Professionals:
*doctors,
*academics,
*researchers,
*other allied health care workers,
*health institutes,
*lawyers,
*Law Societies,
*politicians
If your late to this topic:
No need to worry
I have provided a little over view with a list of some arguments to help you write a submission.
There are probably others but this is designed to give you a start.
Keep in mind:
It does not have to be long. :headache:
Select one or two points that concern you most if you want to keep it simple.
Add a personal anecdote :mask:
If you wish to use any criticisms listed feel free but please do not cut and paste.
Put the ideas in your own words because to be effective the submissions should be your own.
I do not think it would look good if the APA receives hundreds of template or pro forma replies.
SO COME ON! All of you 4,000 plus intelligent forum members! Take some time out from posting or lurking here and knock up a short submission! You can make a difference! :victory:
For how to submit:
For details on how to make your submission to the APA, please see Suzy Chapmans post here: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?12165-Article-Coalition4ME-CFS-Puts-Out-Call-For-Action-on-DSM-5-Proposal&p=184202&viewfull=1#post184202
And here: http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?12201-DSM-IV-proposed-reforms-for-DSM-5-URGENT-Submissions-needed-NOW.-Help-is-here!&p=184460&viewfull=1#post184460
Following sites and Forum threads may help:
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?1893-the-psych-lobby-strikes-again-DSM-5-v.-WHO-s-ICD-in-the-US
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showthread.php?12165-Article-Coalition4ME-CFS-Puts-Out-Call-For-Action-on-DSM-5-Proposal&p=184299#post184299
http://forums.phoenixrising.me/showt...ht=Reevesville
DSM 5 ME Agenda Web Site:
http://wp.me/PKrrB-AQ