APA's new diagnostic manual: Asperger's Disorder to be Dropped

[Rex]

American Pyschiatric Association's diagnostic manual DSM-V, to drop Aspergers!

Full details of all the revisions will come next May when the American Psychiatric Association's new diagnostic manual is published, but the impact will be huge, affecting millions of children and adults worldwide. The manual also is important for the insurance industry in deciding what treatment to pay for, and it helps schools decide how to allot special education.

What does this bode for people with diagnoses that fall under the spectrum that need the definition to justify it to their insurance companies?? They don't say anything about "true" autism (which is safe), but Asperger's. Educational benefits won't be affected, but now people (and those with children who previously fell under the Asperger spectrum), will have to be rediagnosed with other disorders...

One of the most hotly argued changes was how to define the various ranges of autism. Some advocates opposed the idea of dropping the specific diagnosis for Asperger's disorder. People with that disorder often have high intelligence and vast knowledge on narrow subjects but lack social skills. Some who have the condition embrace their quirkiness and vow to continue to use the label.

[Wyliefan]

Wow, I can't believe they're doing that! Doesn't sound like a very good idea . . .

[Rex]

I'm sure most will be re-diagnosed with some sort of social anxiety disorder. But Asperger's was THE mental illness diagnosis of the 21st century it seemed, Wylie. Even Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg were rumored to have it. Guess they are just plain ol' geeks now. .

[Wyliefan]

You hear about it a lot, that's for sure. I work with a guy who has it (and is a single father raising a son who has a very severe case of it). I'll be interested to hear his take on this.

[PrincessLeppard]

Every socially awkward kid in my school gets hit with the Asperger's label. I think the description is too generic, and sometimes, awkward people are just awkward.

However, I'm not sure this is the solution, either.

[Angelskates]

Every socially awkward kid in my school gets hit with the Asperger's label. I think the description is too generic, and sometimes, awkward people are just awkward.

However, I'm not sure this is the solution, either.

I agree. Since Aspergers is a form of autism, it will force psychlogists to really make a decision, autistic or not. IMO, the Aspergers label has been too freely given, much like ADHD.

[Anita18]

Every socially awkward kid in my school gets hit with the Asperger's label. I think the description is too generic, and sometimes, awkward people are just awkward.

However, I'm not sure this is the solution, either.

I agree there is a difference between socially awkward and what Asperger's is considered to be. When a kid is young and unable to communicate clearly in the first place, I think it's too soon to throw a diagnosis on them.

Alf is socially awkward, but he cares about how I feel. He's just extremely shy and self-conscious.

I always suspected my cousin has Asperger's, although I don't believe he's ever been officially diagnosed. But he shows all the signs: being interested in tiny technical details, having no social filter, not being interested in people, the whole works. He in his mid-20s and doing fine in life, since he's very book smart and happened upon an industry where his programming/work skills are much more prized than his social skills. He makes a lot of money and AFAIK, he is happy. AFAIK his parents have not pressured him to get married or have kids. I believe as long as people accept them as they are and steer them toward a career that will value their skills, they will do perfectly fine and require little to no intervention. There's nothing really "wrong" with them - it's just an attitude adjustment for a society who thinks that everyone should be a social butterfly. They are just different.

If anything, having that diagnosis of Asperger's might open a parent's eyes that their child IS different and may require a different kind of parenting , especially if the family is more gregarious than mine is. I mean, I come from a family of extremely nerdy introverts, so an Asperger's child wouldn't really be anything out of the ordinary for us. But for a family who loves to go out and socialize, it might make a difference. You can't pressure an Asperger's kid to be different from what they are.

[MacMadame]

Every socially awkward kid in my school gets hit with the Asperger's label. I think the description is too generic, and sometimes, awkward people are just awkward.

I agree with that. I also think our society loves to throw labels at people as if labeling things solves problems.

If anything, having that diagnosis of Asperger's might open a parent's eyes that their child IS different and may require a different kind of parenting , especially if the family is more gregarious than mine is. I mean, I come from a family of extremely nerdy introverts, so an Asperger's child wouldn't really be anything out of the ordinary for us. But for a family who loves to go out and socialize, it might make a difference. You can't pressure an Asperger's kid to be different from what they are.

Alternately, putting a label like that might make a family treat their kid like there is something wrong with them when a lot of these kids are perfectly fine and grow up into happy adults because they make life choices that suit them.

[Anita18]

Alternately, putting a label like that might make a family treat their kid like there is something wrong with them when a lot of these kids are perfectly fine and grow up into happy adults because they make life choices that suit them.

True. It really does depend on the family. Ours never held much importance over social standing, and my uncle was extremely proud that his son could do computer programming and even help him at his computer software company, at the age of 12. So it worked out even if he's never been officially diagnosed. I'm not sure what my aunt and uncle expect of him when he gets older, though. I'm hoping they won't pressure him into marriage, because with the money he's making and his social cluelessness, I'm afraid he might get a gold-digger who'll take advantage of him.

The only thing one really needs to do is adjust their expectations, not hoist "treatments" or "special education" on otherwise really smart kids. If you expect your child to be really popular and a social butterfly and work with people, that expectation will have to be adjusted. It's more training the parents than treating the kids.

[ballettmaus]

Alternately, putting a label like that might make a family treat their kid like there is something wrong with them when a lot of these kids are perfectly fine and grow up into happy adults because they make life choices that suit them.

Well, kids/people who really do have Asperger's are not "perfectly fine". Asperger's is the weakest form of autism and I know two people who have it and they are not just socially awkward or different. It's far more than that.

I do agree, however, that people love to throw labels at people to solve problems and that that needs to change! It's not helping anyone and those who have Asperger's (in that case) have to suffer because doctor's are too lazy to do a more thorough job. That isn't right.

[Aceon6]

I just read a fairly comprehensive writeup in my Sunday Boston Globe. Asperger's as a standalone diagnosis is being dropped, as is autism. Instead, there's a single "autism spectrum disorder" with a severity scale. It may take insurance companies time to adjust (and they're still coping with ICD-10), but responsible insurers shouldn't have any problems with the change. Similarly, gender related diagnoses are being consolidated.

[Really]

We've been seeing ASD in our students' psych reports for several years now. I wondered if that's what was going to replace distinct autism or Asperger's diagnoses.

[Wyliefan]

It may take insurance companies time to adjust (and they're still coping with ICD-10), but responsible insurers shouldn't have any problems with the change.

That's good.

[Rex]

I just read a fairly comprehensive writeup in my Sunday Boston Globe. Asperger's as a standalone diagnosis is being dropped, as is autism. Instead, there's a single "autism spectrum disorder" with a severity scale. It may take insurance companies time to adjust (and they're still coping with ICD-10), but responsible insurers shouldn't have any problems with the change. Similarly, gender related diagnoses are being consolidated.

I would love to read this; can you provide us with a link? Do we have to pay for it?

At one point my shrink ruled out Aspergers' for me.

Turns out I'm just a big queen with a geek streak...

[Southpaw]

Turns out I'm just a big queen with a geek streak...

That may be but in my book you are DY-NO-MITE!!!!!!!

[Angelskates]

I'm not a fan of many of the other changes being proposed/made, but I am a fan of this one. I think many of the changes will lead to more medicated children. A new diagnosis for severe frequent temper tantrums, disruptive mood dysregulation disorder - I fear kids won't be able to be "naughty" anymore without getting a label Sometimes kids are just being kids, and sometimes the underlying issue isn't a psych diagnosis, but parent discipline, teacher training, others issues with the child, or assistance needed in other ways. Labels are very hard to reverse.

[PrincessLeppard]

Good Lord. That's right up there with Oppositional/Defiant Disorder, another bullshit diagnosis difficult kids are hit with.

[Kasey]

Good Lord. That's right up there with Oppositional/Defiant Disorder, another bullshit diagnosis difficult kids are hit with.

This. When I worked in adolescent psych, we saw a lot of this, as well as other vague "Conduct disorders". Um no, little Johnny, you're a thug. Being a gang-banger is not a disorder. It's you being a criminal.

I think all of the diagnosed "disorders" in this country also add to the entitlement attitude and lack of taking personal responsibility for actions. GRRRR.

[MacMadame]

Well, kids/people who really do have Asperger's are not "perfectly fine". Asperger's is the weakest form of autism and I know two people who have it and they are not just socially awkward or different. It's far more than that.

Then they should have been diagnosed with autism and in the new system, they will. Or ASD as they are calling it.

I think all of the diagnosed "disorders" in this country also add to the entitlement attitude and lack of taking personal responsibility for actions. GRRRR.

The problem I see with it is that, if you want to say that mental illness is a disease just like cancer, then you can't take every human behavior that presents on a continuum and draw an arbitrary line in the sand and say anyone whose behavior crosses that line has a disease. Being anti-social is not a disease. I think operating like this completely weakens the argument that mental illness is a disease. This is bad for people who have mental illnesses that actually are diseases because it makes it hard for them to be taken seriously and to get treatment.

It's also bad for the ones who don't have diseases because now some of them get labeled and thrown into a system when there is absolutely nothing wrong with them.

IMO diagnosis of disease need to be saved for people whose bodies don't work right. We know some people's brains (which are an organ in the body) are broken. Those are the people who need a diagnosis. Not kids who aren't well behaved, adults who get easily distracted, etc. They need coping strategies for getting along in a society they are at odds with but that's not the same thing as treating a disease.

Of course, we do have to remember that these are the same people and the same book that claimed being gay was a mental illness at one time. I don't really take a lot of stock in what they say. Which is easy enough for me -- I'm a software engineer. I feel sorry for people whose ability to do their job is impacted by this book.

[Rex]

That may be but in my book you are DY-NO-MITE!!!!!!!

Oh Florida! I could kiss you on the neck, but....never mind
(thanks ).