Posted: Aug 7, 08 5:06am
As a psychotherapist/author, I have always wanted to make a contribution to both professions that is both unique and valuable. As you may know, psychotherapy is an insurance-driven industry, thus, there is no reimbursement for any condition unless it is listed in DSM IV, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual that the industry uses to evaluate all client symptoms against a standard set that labels conditions and allows the practitioner to bill insurance for reimbursement.
Presently, the writing industry is plagued by a condition which is treatable, but not billable. It is called "Writer's Block." There is no hint that it is a medical condition, though it is rife with symptoms that include secondary depression, inability to find words to express ideas, inability to develop cogent lies and often frustration that rises to the level of rage.
I asked myself: So what is the problem? The condition is a clearly as symptom-driven as schizophrenia, so why no reimbursements for its treatment? I thought and I thought ...
... and I came to the following conclusion: Writer's Block is just not a sexy enough term to elicit a reaction from the penurious reviewers at the insurance companies. What we need is a new name that conjures up a belief that it is serious and that without extensive treatment, may even be fatal. I came up with the following new descriptive tag for the condition ...
IRRITABLE VOWEL SYNDROME.
