I posted this comment at the linked blog, but thought it would be useful here as well.
I am a licensed psychologist. While your point about the “unspecified” diagnoses in DSM-V is correct, what you miss is that there have been categories such as this for a very long time. It’s been a long time since I looked at a DSM-III-R, but the DSM-IV came out in 1994 and has a number of “not otherwise specified” diagnoses. They are not designed to capture everyone, but are there to provide trained professional a way describe someone’s symptoms with a diagnosis that meets the general premise of the category but does not fit in a specific box; not to label anyone and everyone as disordered. A bit of history is needed here. Diagnoses were originally designed only to speed communication between providers, not for all the other crap they have come to be used for.
Also, I don’t know what state you live in, but just being diagnosed with a mental health diagnosis does not render anyone unable to possess firearms in any of the states I’ve worked. Having a court conclude that you are legally insane or having a court commit you to a mental health facility is what renders you unfit.
June 28th, 2013 at 11:24 pm
I posted this comment at the linked blog, but thought it would be useful here as well.
I am a licensed psychologist. While your point about the “unspecified” diagnoses in DSM-V is correct, what you miss is that there have been categories such as this for a very long time. It’s been a long time since I looked at a DSM-III-R, but the DSM-IV came out in 1994 and has a number of “not otherwise specified” diagnoses. They are not designed to capture everyone, but are there to provide trained professional a way describe someone’s symptoms with a diagnosis that meets the general premise of the category but does not fit in a specific box; not to label anyone and everyone as disordered. A bit of history is needed here. Diagnoses were originally designed only to speed communication between providers, not for all the other crap they have come to be used for.
Also, I don’t know what state you live in, but just being diagnosed with a mental health diagnosis does not render anyone unable to possess firearms in any of the states I’ve worked. Having a court conclude that you are legally insane or having a court commit you to a mental health facility is what renders you unfit.