Is That Soldier Crazy Or Just "Having Issues"?

2014-12-15T02:32:26-05:00

"The Army Lawyer" has an interesting article which some of the SnrNCOs and Junior Officers might find interesting. (Unfortunately it's a PDF)

https://www.jagcnet.army.mil/DOCLIBS/aRMYLAWYER.NSF/c82df279f9445da185256e5b005244ee/ae42f5efc5e5fbdd85257d82004052a5/$FILE/Reviewed%20by%20Lieutenant%20Michael%20E.%20Jones.pdf

Saving Normal: An Insider’s Revolt Against Out-of-Control Psychiatric Diagnosis, DSM-5, Big Pharma, and the Medicalization of Ordinary Life

I. Introduction

Judge advocates are frequently involved in decision making processes that can result in the administrative discharge of personnel with mental or physical conditions not amounting to disabilities. In Saving Normal, Allen Frances, M.D., convincingly argues that experiencing unpleasant feelings or engaging in activities that have the potential to adversely impact our welfare puts "well" patients at risk for being diagnosed with a myriad of mental disorders as defined in the newly published Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition: DSM-52 (DSM-5). An outspoken critic of the means and methods used by the DSM-5 task force and the unwholesome silent partnership between the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and pharmaceutical companies, Dr. Frances’s concern for the explosive growth of medications being prescribed by physicians and psychiatrists alike is well-grounded and portends rampant diagnostic inflation for many unfounded diagnoses. Dr. Frances expertly and
concisely outlines the history and development of psychiatry from Greek times to present day and then critically attacks the alarming trend over the past 60 years of moving away from the use of psychotherapy toward the prolific use of
prescription drugs, many of which have the efficacy of a placebo.

When choosing between administrative separation and retention in the armed forces, commanders generally lean on their judge advocates to aid them in making a determination about the propriety of separation given the complexity and sensitive nature of mental health issues. Judge advocates must, therefore, be familiar with not only the laws and regulations of the service branches, but also the emerging trend of diagnostic inflation that Dr. Frances highlights in his work.

II. Background

Dr. Allen Frances is currently a professor emeritus at Duke University and has been in the practice of psychiatry since he graduated from medical school in 1967.
He served as the chair of the task force that was responsible for the production of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fourth Edition: DSM-IV (DSM-IV) in 1994. Since its first publication in 1952, the DSM has
gained increasing importance in the field of psychiatry and, since the 1980s, has been considered the bible of mental health disorder diagnostics. Since 2009, Dr. Frances has been a vocal harbinger about the detrimental effects that DSM-5 is likely to have on the practice of psychiatry. Dr. Frances believes that direct marketing campaigns by pharmaceutical companies to the general public and the
significant number of primary care physicians who diagnose patients with serious mental disorders and prescribe medications after office visits lasting only a few minutes will exacerbate diagnoses under DSM-5.

Response by SGT Private RallyPoint Member made Dec 15 at 2014 3:15 AM

2014-12-15T03:15:45-05:00

Sir,

Excellent article! Thanks for sharing! It seems as though there is a disorder for just about anything.