Can You Grieve and Not Be Labeled with a Mental Disorder?
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Can You Grieve and Not Be Labeled with a Mental Disorder?

22 Mar Can You Grieve and Not Be Labeled with a Mental Disorder?

Posted at 21:38h in DSM-5, Health Care, Human Development, Psychology, Psychology of Becoming, Psychotherapy by

March 22, 2012

Today I read Joanne Cacciatore’s blog. She’s the founder of the MISS Foundation, an international nonprofit organization with 75 chapters around the world aiding parents whose children have died or are dying at any age and from any cause. (She’s also a professor and researcher at Arizona State University and a psychotherapist.)

A few weeks ago Dr. Cacciatore wrote an entry, “DSM5 and Ethical Relativism,” opposing the proposed change in the DSM’s “bereavement exclusion,” which has to do with how much time you can grieve the death of a loved one before you’re deemed pathological (specifically, having a Depressive Disorder). It turns out that in the DSM-III, in use from 1980-1994, the bereavement exclusion was two years. Then its replacement, the DSM-IV, reduced it to two months. And the new DSM-5 wants to reduce it again, this time to 2 weeks! Talk about crazy!

Dr. Cacciatore’s blog went viral and within two weeks had 100,000 readers. She was prompted by this response and the outpouring of comments to write an Open Letter to the Board of Trustees of the American Psychiatric Association and to the DSM 5 Task Force (dated March 21, 2012) on behalf of these many thousands of people. She notes in her letter that “there is no empirical standing for the arbitrary two-week time frame, and thus this proposal not only contradicts good common sense but also rests on weak scientific evidence” and that the proposed revision “challenges what it means to be human and for some may be dangerous.”

It’s a strong letter. Spread the word!

 

 

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3 Comments
  • Marcos de Noronha
    Posted at 12:34h, 07 April

    A maneira como cada um enfrenta a perda de um ente querido; ou, a maneira como cada povo enfrenta esse tipo de perda pode nos revelar aspectos da saúde individual, além dos recursos sociais que possam privilegiar a adaptação necessária nestes momentos. Arbitrar um tempo para isso, sem recorrer ao conhecimento da diversidade social e até mesmo, individual torna-se uma piada de mal gosto. Perigosa pelo efeito “nocebo” da psiquiatrização de reações naturais.

  • David Ezell
    Posted at 05:53h, 29 March

    If a client of mine came in 14 days after the death of a partner and said she was “back to normal” I would write two words in my notes, “in denial.” People need time to heal–and two weeks after the death of a lover is, in my opinion, is just the start–and certainly not the end of that process.

  • Marie Connolly-Whitmore
    Posted at 04:06h, 26 March

    So THAT’s it !!! January 1, 2003 was a time when I had been in bereavement for 15 months ! I was labeled incorrectly after being my husband’s caregiver BUT no one would listen to me !!! Much harm has been had and I want to fight all those involved with the DSM now regarding this issue !!! I point out to people the respect within the Jewish community for those who go to Synagogue every day for one year following the loss of a significant other. It is tradition. It is respected ! I would go to the Veteran’s cemetery in 2002 and talk to wonderful, caring people there and one man told me that he always thought he would be the one to ‘go first’ but his wife transitioned first. He had gone to the cemetery every day for FOUR YEARS as he lived right nearby !! That is freedom of choice and what our Veterans fought for !! I cannot believe the lack of respect when psychiatrists recommend to family members to STAGE a crisis when there is none so as to get a person into the AWFUL mental UNhealth system. I never dreamed of such a thing in this country !!! If people feel the need to talk, people should be available to listen withOUT judging and be taught NOT to try and “fix” things up with medical approach. If people ASK to be taken for medical help, that is one thing, BUT if they feel they are coping and functioning daily, eating well, going to yoga and massage, they should be HONORED in their process. If they choose NOT to return to work right away, that is a choice and if they have life insurance and can manage for a time of rest, they should be respected for that conscious decision. I am so disgusted with all of this./// MCW

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