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A select clique of psychiatrists has been at work for years on thelatest version of the official manual of mental illness, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). In 2000, they came out with a revised fourth edition ofthis compendium of psychiatric problems, the DSM-IV. Now, they aretoiling away on DSM-5 (dispensing, for one, with those pesky Romannumerals). In the May/June issue of Scientific American Mind, Scientific American s Ferris Jabr documents some of the biggestproposed changes in this edition-in-progress, slated forpublication in 2013 (see Psychiatry's ‘Bible' Gets an Overhaul ). Already, the DSM s framers have backtracked on some of their original proposals, but most of the elementsbehind this significant reworking of the DSM remain in effect. Many, if not most, of these features remain highly controversial.So in conjunction with the publication of the feature article in Mind , Ferris and I have written and commissioned a series of four blogsdiscussing some of the most hotly debated features of this new DSM.The first, penned by Ferris, will appear tomorrow, followed by oneblog each day published here, on Streams of Consciousness, for the remainder of the week. Here s a quick rundown of what toexpect. Tuesday: Ferris Jabr explains why science has so far played only a bit partin the creation of the new DSM. Wednesday: Edward Shorter, a historian of psychiatry at the University ofToronto, argues that the principal diagnoses of theDSM depression, schizophrenia and bipolar disorder are artifactsand should essentially be discarded. Thursday: I reflect on why mixed depression/anxiety could be real, despiteconcerns that everyone might have it. Friday: Allen Frances, the chief framer of the DSM-IV, tells us why welack biological tests for mental illness and how that deficiencyhurts diagnosis. The process of defining mental disorders is a serious undertaking.People with true psychiatric problems need help, often urgently.But this DSM business also makes me think about thinking andfeeling in new ways and to wonder how we draw the line betweennormal and abnormal mental functioning. So, over the course of thisweek, let s contemplate what it means to be sane. And hey, if youfigure it out, let the committees and me know. The e-commerce company in China offers quality products such as Cold Rolled Steel Coil Manufacturer , Galvanized Steel Profile Manufacturer, and more. For more , please visit Hot Dipped Galvanized Steel Coil today!
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