Hi, all.
Here's what I just sent to the APA, and to Suzy:
"Dear APA:
I have been conducting research and consulting on cases of what has been called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome for the past 15 years. As a result of this experience, there is no question in my mind that this disorder has an organic, physiological basis and is not a mental illness. While patients suffering from this disorder may indeed experience anxiety and major concern about their illness, and may devote full-time effort to attempting to regain their health, which appear to be the suggested criteria for the proposed "Complex Somatic Symptom Disorder," it seems to me that these are perfectly normal responses to having an illness that is not well understood by the medical establishment and for which the suggested treatments are only cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressants, which provide limited help at best. I suggest that a person who had ME/CFS and did not respond in some of these ways would truly be in need of psychiatric help. My concern is that this proposed new category of mental illness could very easily be applied to sufferers of ME/CFS, to their detriment. Once a patient is labeled as having a psychiatric disorder, physicians by and large cease to consider organic, physiological causes for their illness. While this may increase the number of office visits to psychiatrists, it would be a major disservice to these patients. Please reject this vaguely worded diagnosis.
Best regards,
Richard A. Van Konynenburg, Ph.D.
Independent Researcher and Consultant on Cases of
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"
Rich
Here's what I just sent to the APA, and to Suzy:
"Dear APA:
I have been conducting research and consulting on cases of what has been called myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome for the past 15 years. As a result of this experience, there is no question in my mind that this disorder has an organic, physiological basis and is not a mental illness. While patients suffering from this disorder may indeed experience anxiety and major concern about their illness, and may devote full-time effort to attempting to regain their health, which appear to be the suggested criteria for the proposed "Complex Somatic Symptom Disorder," it seems to me that these are perfectly normal responses to having an illness that is not well understood by the medical establishment and for which the suggested treatments are only cognitive behavioral therapy and antidepressants, which provide limited help at best. I suggest that a person who had ME/CFS and did not respond in some of these ways would truly be in need of psychiatric help. My concern is that this proposed new category of mental illness could very easily be applied to sufferers of ME/CFS, to their detriment. Once a patient is labeled as having a psychiatric disorder, physicians by and large cease to consider organic, physiological causes for their illness. While this may increase the number of office visits to psychiatrists, it would be a major disservice to these patients. Please reject this vaguely worded diagnosis.
Best regards,
Richard A. Van Konynenburg, Ph.D.
Independent Researcher and Consultant on Cases of
Myalgic Encephalomyelitis/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome"
Rich
