Communicate with your Therapist about Pending Diagnostic Changes

It is very hard for me to accept that our country does not provide our citizens with universal health care. I write today to tell readers of a sad reality and warn those with coverage for mental health difficulties that there is change in the wind which will alter many diagnoses, and this change may well effect your coverage. With this in mind when you understand the proposed changes, you can discuss them with your mental health provider. If you will be negatively affected, you can lobby your elected officials, asking them not to allow these changes.

Here is what is going on: In this explanation, I will try to be as clear as possible about a confusing matter. Without boring you with long words and too many details, there is a tool that is the diagnostic Bible in the mental health field, which is called the DSM ( the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders).

In the upcoming 5th edition a long existing feud, largely not known outside of the mental health field, is taking place. Here’s why: Sadly, in the mental health field academics (who do the research) and clinicians (who see and treat the patients) rarely consult each other. The reasons why begin in education. Usually one trains to be either an academic (devoted to research) or a clinician (devoted to face-to-face patient care). Once this choice is made, totally different approaches to achieving goals are learned. This is a very unfortunate reality, leading to discord and rivalry, as respectful interaction in these fields would benefit every person, every family, and every community.

As a clinician impacted by this lack of collaboration, I can share two brief examples: