Word: mentally
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...write a book about children and psychiatric drugs, she too accepted the conventional wisdom that American children are being medicated into numbness. But after extensive interviews with parents, therapists and academics, she made a 180-degree turn. In this impassioned book, the author argues that childhood mental illness is real, widespread and painful to families caught in its grip. Warner believes that statistics about Ritalin's being overprescribed are exaggerated. "Almost no parent takes the issue of psychiatric diagnosis lightly or rushes to 'drug' his or her child," she writes. "Responsible child psychiatrists don't either." Frantic parents try everything...
Several decades have passed since the West stopped considering homosexuality a mental illness. But for transsexuals, that kind of milestone has been elusive - until now. Last month, France became the first country in the world to remove transsexualism from its official list of mental disorders - a major victory when it comes to acceptance of this oft misunderstood condition. "I'm relieved. People might begin to look at us differently," says transsexual blogger Caphi (a blended name she's chosen to represent Philippe, the man she was born as, and Caroline, the woman she's transforming into). "It's a start...
Some transsexuals say the country's open-minded Health Minister, Roselyne Bachelot, removed transsexualism from the list of mental disorders because it was an outdated classification and because she wanted to acknowledge the work transsexuals have done to further their cause. But others see a potentially more troubling motive. Tin worries that politicians may be making allowances on this front to avoid engaging in debate on legalizing gay marriage or removing barriers to allowing gay adults to adopt. (See pictures of the gay-rights movement...
This will be the next big battleground. Spain and Great Britain have adopted more lenient stances, even though transsexualism is still technically on the books in both countries as a mental illness. Spain requires transsexuals only to undergo some form of hormonal treatment to modify their physical appearance before it will issue new documents, while the British simply ask applicants, with recommendations from their doctors, to promise to live out the rest of their lives as their chosen sex. (See 10 things to do in Paris...
...tide may be turning. At least that's what IDAHO's president hopes. The French Health Ministry has already agreed to push other countries in the E.U. to drop transsexualism from their lists of mental disorders. And that, Tin says, is a start...