On March 25, Fred Friedberg, PhD, president of the International Association of CFS/ME, stated: “We are concerned about the possibility of CFS/ME being classified as a psychiatric disorder” in the upcoming revision of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders (DSM-5).??Referring to the APA’s newly posted draft revisions for “somatoform disorders”*, Dr. Friedberg has posted two items on the IACFS/ME website at www.iacfsme.org:??• A community call to action. He urges all informed advocates (working professionals in particular - researchers, clinicians, educators) to “submit your comments on this disturbing possibility to the DSM-5 Task Force” (www.dsm5.org - log in to comment, click on somatoform disorders and then complex somatic symptom disorder; comment link at bottom of page). Deadline for comment submission is April 20.??• An open letter to the DSM-5 Task Force on behalf of the 500-plus biomedical and behavioral scientists who make up the IACFS/ME, expressing “deep concern about the possible reclassification of CFS as a somatoform disorder in DSM-5.”??To track all US, UK, and international organizations' submissions and other news regarding the DSM-5 draft proposals, see the DSM-5 and ICD-11 Watch site, maintained by Suzy Chapman.??____?* Roughly defined, somatoform disorders involve symptoms that result largely from mental factors, not physical disease or injury.
http://www.prohealth.com/ME-CFS/library/showArticle.cfm?libid=15247&B1=EM041410B
Mary Schweitzer letter here on her blog
http://slightlyalive.blogspot.com/2010/04/my-letter-to-apa-on-cssd.html
from Suzy Chapman's ME/CFS DSM-5 Watch, other letters submitted and posted
http://dsm5watch.wordpress.com/dsm-5-proposals/dsm-5-proposals-sub-page-3/
Please write if you, as above if you are a professional that deals with ME/CFS patients, have ME/CFS or a loved one does, or someone you know does, for many our caregivers, for those with severe ME/CFS that can not write for themselves and need to be heard. For those of you that have seen how devastating this illness is. Remember that MS was once considered psychiatric as was was Parkinson's. What would be the out cry from the general public if such were to be listed as psychiatric now.
Personal Note: I haven't been able to sit up or type much & mostly bed-confined as usual, I get some spurts onto the living-room couch for short periods of time. The little I have been able to do is for my website. Dystonia convulsions & paralyzing and spasming has been near non-stop for several weeks and progressing, let alone the severe ME, that it devastatingly worsens. I may try my own letter in the A.M. I don't know if I will be able to. It has been recognized as a Neurological Disorder in Ontario Canada, since 2005/2006 ME/CFS is Neurological Illness Diagnostic code 795 and 'Fibromyalgia/Chronic Fatigue Syndrome care' has now the OHIP time-based billing Code number K037with Extra Time Billing Code 795 which is used for Fibromyalgia (FMS) as well for extra billing from the Ontario Medical Assoc. (OMA). However, this has not stopped doctors, specialists from saying it does not exists here, refuse to treat you and psychiatry still refer to it as a Somatic Disorder, which it is not, even though WHO has declared it a Disease of the Central Nervous System since 1969 and Neurological, has been found in the cells around the spinal cord of several who have died from it, and a very long list of viral, diagnostic and organic testing that show it be an organic, physical illness, not psychiatric, which I was told by the Specialist that diagnosed me in 1991 who had diagnosed over 400 people since the Lake Tahoe Breakout in 1984.
