The newest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of psychiatric disorders (DSM) was recently announced and is expected to be finished in the next two years. It is the fifth version of the DSM (DSM-V).

This book is the bible of the psychiatrist and describes all manner of mental disorders and diseases. It is used to indentify symptoms and place the “appropriate” label on a person. The book started out with the DSM-I, a small paperback booklet. It has expanded in a hefty manual hundreds of pages long, encompassing many aspects of life. Included in the manual as billable diseases are such things as keyboard disorder, mathematics disorder, addictive disorder (blaming physical addiction on mental derangement needing strong drugs to treat), caffeine induced syndrome (high heart rate, increased activity, restlessness) and female sexual arousal disorder to name a few.

The task force charged with updating the current DSM is being overseen by the American Psychiatric Association. They claim unbiased research and scientific conclusions—but over half of the task force members have disclosed conflicts of interest with drug companies or medical device firms. For example, one of the members received consulting money from 13 different pharmaceutical companies in the last 5 years alone. Does that make you question his motives when adding a “new disease” that might be made profitable by the release of a wonder drug from one of his benefactors? It should.

The disorders in the current DSM-IV categorize nearly every aspect of regular human behavior as a mental illness. The DSM-V is even more ridiculous, and is drawing public criticism from many people, including some of the authors of DSM-IV. It appears that no one would be free from “mental illness” under DSM-V.

Watch our video on the state of mental health.