CASPER newsletter July

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Psychiatric Diagnoses Slammed by British Psychological Society

A new edition of the 'bible' of psychiatry. the DSM is being developed for release in 2013. A range of new 'disorders' is proposed along with a lowering of the threshold for diagnosis of existing disorder. Pre-schoolers for example who dress up in clothes or play with toys associated with the other gender can be diagnosed with 'gender identity disorder.' A new disorder identifies those who may develop a disorder in the future is included, crystal ball style.

The British Psychological Society has written to the American Psychiatric Association expressing serious concerns about the medicalisation of normal human behaviour and experience, the over medication of the population and the disregard for social factors leading to distress.

Attached is the letter they have written which outlines their concerns associated with each category of disorder.