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Bioethicists often debate whether the rapid pace of medical science truly generates new ethical questions or whether what appear to be novel dilemmas are really ancient conflicts presented in modern terms and contexts.1 The valuable essays in this Special Report offer support for each position and, more important, provide clinical wisdom for mental health professionals struggling with ethical issues both profound and prosaic in a variety of practice settings.

Questions have also been raised about the extent of industry influence on the American Psychiatric Association’s diagnostic and treatment guidelines-namely, its DSM and Clinical Practice Guidelines.

In addition to their use in the management of epilepsy, anticonvulsants are indicated for management of bipolar disorder, mania, neuralgia, migraine, and neuropathic pain.

Other disorders include those not currently listed such as complex somatic symptom disorder; those proposed for reclassification such as body dysmorphic disorder; and those proposed to by subsumed under other diagnoses such as somatization disorder, pain disorder associated with psychological factors, and hypochondriasis.

Included in this list of disorders are those proposed for possible reclassification such as obsessive-compulsive disorder; those proposed for removal such as agoraphobia without a history of panic disorder; those proposed to be subsumed under other diagnoses such as panic disorder with or without agoraphobia; and those not currently listed such as substance-induced tic disorder, hoarding disorder, olfactory reference syndrome, and skin picking disorder.

I never wanted to go to New Orleans-I thought it would be hot and muggy and very crowded. But, life takes you on unexpected journeys and one day I found myself at a conference in New Orleans, and I was charmed.

I just finished reading Dr Zucker’s retort to Dr Frances’ critique of proposed categories for paraphilias in DSM5, as well as Dr Frances’ reply.

Among other things, the Work Group for this class of disorders is examining whether premenstrual dysphoric disorder should classify as a separate disorder from mood disorders or a specifier for mood disorders.

The health insurance reform bill Congress passed and President Obama signed has a number of small, psychiatric-targeted provisions, but their significance probably pales beside the first-time insuring of somewhere above 30 million Americans-some of whom will visit psychiatrists for the first time in their lives.

Hear the story of wood...

The recently posted draft of DSM5 makes a seemingly small suggestion that would profoundly affect how grief is handled by psychiatry.

My “most important achievement to date” is that I’m capable of even the simplest forms of basic cognition. I can remember, perceive, speak, feel, think, solve, and-sometimes-pay attention.

Perhaps one of the positive things to come out of the Kansas v Hendricks wave of sexually violent predator (SVP) commitment laws during the past decade is that our knowledge base on sex offenders has grown tremendously.

While the Army considers what, if any, disciplinary actions to take against those who directed the medical training of MAJ Nidal Hasan-the accused Fort Hood shooter-one psychiatrist’s legal counsel faults the military for blaming a handful of officers for a broader institutional failing.

Over the past several months, Psychiatric Times has posted numerous-and often stinging-critiques of the DSM5 process. Readers have reacted to the ongoing heated debates between Allen Frances, MD, who oversaw the development of DSM-IV, and the DSM5 Task Force with significant interest. Now you can weigh in with your own opinions, suggestions, and recommendations on our DSM5 forum, which features proposed revisions by topic.Select a topic below to add your comments.

Included in this list of disorders is the recommendation that the category include substance use disorders and non-substance addictions such as gambling and Internet addiction. The category has tentatively been retitiled "Addiction and Related Disorders."

Included in this category is the recommendation that the category be divided into 3 broad syndromes: delirium, major neurocognitive disorder, and minor neurocognitive disorder. The Work Group is also exploring removing dementia, categorizing behavioral disturbances, and selecting specific domains and measures of severity of cognitive functional impairment.

I can almost hear Albert Ellis saying “Amen” to the data I am about to share. To explain his reaction, I have to talk about war.

Nothing can replace talking with patients. This can take substantial amounts of time, but it is the only way to obtain as clear a view as possible about whether a patient is benefiting from treatment.

The White Ribbon is an instant classic of European cinema. Filmed in black and white and set in a rural village in northern Germany circa 1912, it may remind you of early Bergman, Buñuel, and other great European filmmakers of the black-and-white era, but it is an homage to none of them.

This is the second installment of a new series in which clinically relevant research is briefly discussed and, perhaps more important, a few tips on how to read and interpret research studies are presented. Your feedback, suggestions, and questions are eagerly solicited at rajnish.mago@jefferson.edu.

Surprisingly, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has never established formal guidelines that address what qualifications are required for one to use DSM.

Oregon’s Governor Kulongoski has vetoed a bill that would have allowed psychologists to practice clinical medicine without adequate training-otherwise known by the euphemism of “prescribing.” The Governor’s rationale was precisely the one opponents of the bill, such as I, had advocated.

Readers who know me well will not be surprised by my citing the Tao Te Ching-but some may be taken aback by my quoting football legend, Kurt Warner, who announced his retirement recently.1 Mr Warner had some wise things to say about leaving a job under your own steam, while you are still in good health-and preferably, before you are shown the door. As I prepare to step down from the editor in chief position at Psychiatric Times in June, I believe I can honestly claim that these conditions apply to my departure. The “hail and farewell!” is intended to encompass both my leave-taking from the helm and my greetings to the incoming editor in chief-my friend and colleague, James Knoll, MD.

The overall effectiveness of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) is well known, but its speed of action is much less talked about. Here I review what is known about the time course of action of ECT in depression.