Could See Rise in Addiction Diagnosis with New DSM

Re-writers of the manual that serves as the nation’s bible of mental illness have agreed to revise the definition of addiction, which could result in millions more people being diagnosed as addicts. 


This change would expand the list of recognized symptoms for drug and alcohol addiction, while also reducing the number of symptoms required for a diagnosis, according to proposed changes announced on the APA website.

And for the first time it might include gambling as an addiction, and introduce a category — “behavioral addiction — not otherwise specified” — that could be used by doctors to diagnose addictions to shopping, sex, using the Internet or playing video games.

One Mind for Research

Patrick Kennedy (Ted’s son and a former Congressman from Rhode Island), is the co-chair of the charity One Mind for Research. One Mind for Research is a non-profit that has begun the largest study ever undertaken of traumatic brain injuries and PTSD. Their goal is to boost by 20% the spending by government and drug companies on mental illness research. 

Read more about the work of One Mind here. Their work could have a major impact on the future treatment of PTSD and traumatic brain injuries. You can also join them on Facebook here. 

On Mental Illness: Children on Medication

Have you seen the television commercial that advertises a new medication for children with hyperactivity and attention deficit? The commercial shows a well-behaved, sedated little kid doing his homework and being an angelic little boy, while at the same time a list of possible side effects is be

ing read over the sound portion of the commercial. If you’re paying any attention to those side effects, it sounds horrific. If you’re paying attention to the portrayal of the child, you ought to be horrified. No child should be that well-behaved; it’s not natural.

The biological model of mental illness is just fine, if it is limited to the situations in which it is accurate. The drug companies are making huge profits by selling the medication concept to more Americans. If a child really needs medicine, they should have it. However, maybe other solutions could be explored first.