It seems like we are always fighting to prove that our illness is real and here is yet another instance of that. Fred Friedberg, president of the International Association of CFS/ME, recently expressed concern that ME/CFS and related disorders may be classified as psychiatric disorders in the new revision of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5).
Here is Friedberg’s post from the IACFS/ME website:
Important Alert to the CFS/ME Community:
The DSM-5 Task Force of the American Psychiatric Association is asking for public comment to their proposed DSM-5 manual of psychiatric diagnoses scheduled for release in 2013. We are concerned about the possibility of CFS/ME being classified as a psychiatric disorder, based on comments made in their Work Group on somatoform disorders (see letter below). Of course, such an action would be a major setback in our ongoing efforts to legitimize and increase recognition of the illness.
We urge you to submit your comments about this disturbing possibility to the DSM-5 Task Force ( www.dsm5.org). You only need to register on this website to submit your comments. (Once you have a login, click on Proposed Revisions, and then Complex Somatic Symptom Disorder. At the bottom of page is a section for public comments.) Comments written from the perspective of a working professional (researcher, clinician, educator) will have the most influence.
Comments must be submitted by April 20 th.
Thank you.
FredFred Friedberg, PhD
President
IACFS/ME
Fred Friedberg has also written a letter to the DSM-5 Task Force. Please comment on this issue.
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