disability population

[Marta Russell]

>Carol wrote:
>I think a distinction needs to be made here. Misdiagnoses can have
>various sources, only some of which are institutional, some of which are
>merely human error, and some of which are a matter of the current scope
>of medical knowledge. I think from the perspective of a half a century
>or so _all_ current diagnoses of unipolar depression will be seen as
>misdiagnosis. Unipolar depression _probably_ doesn't exist, it is merely
>a "placeholder" as it were for a number of different diagnoses which
>further advance in neuropsychiatry will reveal. Some institutional
>arrangements (reflecting the balance of political power) encourage a
>greater incidence of human error, but under all conditions such error
>will occur. (In the past, many suffering from bipolar were diagnosed as
>schizophrenic -- but that was due to the current stage of knowledge, not
>to either human error or capitalism.)

Absolutely, psychiatry is still in the embryonic stages.  The APA has 
had to revise the book of psychological conditions several times to 
change with the current take on what is what.  This makes it even 
more dangerous for people though who do have some mental health 
issues.  All the more reason for the individual to have the right to 
refuse the current trend of treatment.


>
>And an absolute precondition for real progress in psychopharmacology is
>to put the drug companies out of business and pay for research with
>public funds. That won't be easy!
>
>Carrol

And then make sure that public organization has accountability and 
does not assume powers it need not be given over individuals lives 
either.

marta
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