Posted on 02/23/2013 10:54:26 AM PST by Drew68
THE grieving process is in danger of being branded a medical condition if a mourner feels sad for more than two weeks and consults a GP, according to an international authority on death and dying.
At present, mourners can feel sad for two months before being told they have a mental disorder, says Professor Dale Larson. Decades ago, a diagnosis could be made after a year.
In a keynote address at an Australian Psychological Society conference in Melbourne on Saturday, Prof Larson will express his anger about the American Psychiatric Association's new diagnostic manual, DSM 5, which is used in many countries including Australia and New Zealand.
The manual, to be published in May, allows a diagnosis of depression after two weeks of grieving.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.com.au ...
In many cases, doctors are the cause of many problems.
Thank you for your thoughtful, reasoned and well written post. Refreshing really.
As you said, grief is normal and everyone deals with it differently. However if someone is unable to function due to extreme grief or more likely the resulting depression; they can’t work, are unable to enjoy anything in life, withdraw from family and friends, even stop taking care of their homes or themselves and it persists over an extended period, weeks, months years, then that is not normal grief and counseling or even in some cases, medication is probably warranted.
“Great post! Very informative and well stated!”
I just wish all the ones who posted here would read it.
Grams A, you have it right. I’m reeling right now trying to think of how I could respond. Words fail me, but I will. Anyone who has a Kiddo is good to go in my book.
A man calls the psychiatrist at a mental hospital and asks who’s in room 24. “Nobody” comes the reply. “Good” says the man, “I must have escaped.”
And then there willl be a new study which recommends a commission which, in turn, will lead to a new federal agency to deal with this critical issue and then the agency will have its annual budget growth scaled back by the Republicans and then the Republicans will get the blame for... oh, whatever.
Who the hell cares anymore?
A guy is walking past a big wooden fence at the insane asylum and he hears the residents inside chanting, "Thirteen! Thirteen! Thirteen!" Quite curious about this, he finds a hole in the fence, and looks in. Someone inside pokes him in the eye. Then everyone inside the asylum starts chanting, "Fourteen! Fourteen! Fourteen!"
In the case of severe depression with severe suicidal ideation , I have sent a patient to a psychiatrist for medication, not for counseling as I kept that patient with me. Medication is the only reason I would involve a psychiatrist. Even doing that is “iffy” with a patient I described above and that is because a depressed suicidal person usually doesn't have enough emotional strength to kill themselves but if they take an antidepressant and get a little better, then they have the strength Io actually go through with the suicide. Working with suicidal people was a specialty of mine.
A story: A patient told me she was going to kill herself. I said, “Gee, I hope you don't do that because it would make me look bad - a patient of mine killing herself.” The lady said, “I never thought of that - I would not want you to look bad so I'm not doing it.” It's important for the therapist not to freak out if a patient brings up suicide. A calm response from the therapist is much better.
“People who go to psychiatrists don’t recognize a joke when they read it. It’s one of the symptoms of being nuts.”
I like that.
Thanks.
My wife had one two actually over 11 years ago who missed a Serotonin Syndrome diagnoses for prescribed antidepressants. She was being treated for PTSD, Clinical Depression, and abuse. The PTSD was set off by a dentist giving her a wrong medication nearly killing her.
With that said her LCSW she began seeing 11 years has been a true Godsend.
Thanks for your well-written professional take on this issue.
Gee, the whores are looking for more money.
“Gee, the whores are looking for more money.”
Which “whores” would you be talking about? I guess I missed that. Drew, do you know?
“Ya might want to read Mr. Robinson’s many postings about what this place is based upon before digging your hole further.”
Let’s get this straight: You are claiming mental health experts are contrary to religious beliefs, which is a complete falsehood. What you are backing up is that people that seek mental health help should really just forget about mental health treatments and go get more into religion instead, that all our military service members returning home and in need of some help should just shut the Hell up and go get a Bible instead, that they somehow lack your narcissistic level of faith and that’s their only problem.
How do you know these are some kind of atheists that don’t already have faith? You are calling them atheists, false believers, or some kind of less than spiritual persons. How do you know they are such people? How do you know they lack faith? How do you know that prayer isn’t part of their daily lives?
This psychiatry bashing has got to stop. You arrogant SOBs are hurting people. Let’s see you high and mighty uberfaith types go to war and come back and be told just shut up and say a prayer instead of receiving mental health treatment.
Any ideas what this is about?
‘No guns for you!’
I had Vets with PTSD in my practice. I have been a Christian since I was 10 years old. I was a church pianist for years. I haven't kept up with this war between you and piytar but one can't paint every counselor/psychologist/psychiatrist with the same brush - we are all individuals with different belief systems so one can't say “all” mental health workers definitely do “this” (whatever “this” is).
I used my belief in God to do the best I could for every patient who needed help. To suggest I didn't believe in God if I was a professional counselor/psychological examiner, would be absolutely wrong. Judging the soul of mental health workers or anyone is a sin and that is Biblical.
I’m so depressed at this news that just reading this article may be enough to get me on the dole.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.