Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Okoro, D. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Okoro, D. C. Minority Issues Crisis and Emergency Treatment Health Policy and Legislation Quality of Care, Practice Guidelines Education, Nonmedical Psychiatric Professionals DSM Atypical Neuroleptics Conventional Neuroleptics

Racism and Mental Disorders

Certainly it is high time that racism is mentioned in the DSM classification scheme. However, the consequences of racism need looking into, not the perpetrators. I am really worried by Dr. Bell's insinuation throughout the article that perpetrators of racism have a mental disorder without mention of the millions of lives that have been ruined by racism. The insinuation is akin to making excuses for Nazism while denying that the crimes of the Nazis ever existed. Racism does not deserve to be beatified by a DSM classification. Instead, the appropriate DSM code should be given to the mental anguish that victims of racism suffer.

May I suggest "post-racist attack syndrome" or "post-racism syndrome"? DSM criteria might include: A. The person should have suffered from racial discrimination—institutionalized or otherwise, direct or indirect, conscious or unconscious—for a substantial portion of his/her lifespan. B. As a result of (A), the person will have demonstrated loss of faith in the society leading to one or more of the following: 1. Lack of motivation; 2. Withdrawal from the majority race or the perpetrator's group; 3. Distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning; 4. Clinical depression; 5. Conscious selection of occupations or leisure activities that will not expose him/her to reminders of the perpetrators or where he/she expects no discrimination. C. The above is notdue to the direct consequence of another mental disorder, substance abuse, or medication or to a general medical condition.

Daniel Chinedu Okoro, M.D.

Footnotes

Dr. Okoro is a staff psychiatrist in the department of psychiatry at Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, Canada.

Reference

1. Bell C: Racism: a mental illness? Psychiatric Services 55:1343, 2004

Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Email this article to a Colleague Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to My Articles & Searches Download to citation manager Citing Articles via Google Scholar Articles by Okoro, D. C. Search for Related Content PubMed Citation Articles by Okoro, D. C. Minority Issues Crisis and Emergency Treatment Health Policy and Legislation Quality of Care, Practice Guidelines Education, Nonmedical Psychiatric Professionals DSM Atypical Neuroleptics Conventional Neuroleptics

Get information about faster international access.

Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2005 American Psychiatric Association. All rights reserved.

Home | Search | Current Issue | Past Issues | Subscribe | All APPI Journals | Help | Contact Us