Fw: [icmhp] Fwd: Re: a Caplan's call to action

[Guest guest]

Hi, everyone!

This seemed relevant in our discussion of DSM-IV and the problems with it.

Hope all find it useful and are having a happy New Year!

Re: a Caplan's call to action

> > Date: Fri, 31 Dec 2004 10:25:36 -0600

>

> Let me clarify a few things. Mr. Bell is evidently

> sensible with regard to his concerns. But he doesn't

> know Ms. Caplan very well, I'd say.

>

> I did a workshop with Ms. Caplan at the Psychologists

> for Social Responsibility October 2003 conference on

> " Rethinking Gender, War and Peace: Feminist

> Perspectives " with Lynne (not the attorney!

> rather the coordinator of the California Network of

> M.H. Clients 1983-88) .. Details are at

> http://www.psysr.org/rgwp.htm also in the " Conference

> Report. "

>

> a was on the 1994 DSM-IV comittee which (eventually)

> made PMS a " diagnosable condition " viz. so-called

> " PMDD. " Of course she didn't " last " until the end of

> that project! She wrote a book " They say you're crazy, "

> about the way psychiatric diagnoses are *actually*

> brought into being. FWIW, it's said legislation is like

> sausage-making .. the DSM process is maybe worse.

>

> a Caplan and Cosgrove have just published a

> new book " Bias in Psychiatric Diagnosis, " which was a

> project of the Association of Women in Psychology

> (the feminist psychology organization).

>

> In the case of this call, a tells me that her

> concern is that we (that includes her folks, and ours)

> have been complaining about name-calling viz. labels

> for decades, but nobody DOES ANYTHING about them. She

> knows that a few Congresspersons may take an interest.

> But that is not the critical point, however helpful it

> would be.

>

> The point is, IT IS HIGH TIME TO GET POLITICAL about

> this medieval system of psychiatric labels.

>

> I'm glad Mr. Bell took the trouble to read her call

> [i have it at http://batstar.net/drama/rfscongr.htm ]

> and provide a thoughtful response.

>

> Phelps

> Berkeley, CA

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