Dr. Todd Finnerty's Blog

REVIEW: Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King by Dave Matthews Band

Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King by Dave Matthews Band

Lots of Smoke... (too much?)
So, DMB plucked me from the depths of listening to Nirvana back in the 90s, but after listening to them for so long its hard perhaps to keep some of the older songs from growing stale in my mind. There are only so many times you can "rediscover" an old song. Yes, I was alive for ;) album releases like Under the Table and Dreaming and Crash. I've seen them 7 or 8 times in concert. But like a DMB junkie on the sauce too long perhaps all I can ever do is maintain. Perhaps I'm so addicted I can't experience a DMB high anymore; maybe I've lost the ability to experience a "wow" the first time I listen to one of their albums? This is despite the fact that I've been going cold turkey on DMB for longer and longer periods, seemingly without trying. Releasing live album after live album did little to relieve any shakes and cravings. While different from stand up (I'll avoid any analogies to bad trips, etc.), I can't say this album is a new direction either. While I won't say I didn't tap my toes, I found myself struggling and having to try hard to get in to it, and wishing for a DMB album that would make me say "wow" again. This wasn't it, but it wasn't so bad that I'll go completely cold turkey (yet). As for the best album yet quote advertised from Rolling Stone, I really do wish I had some of the DMB they were smoking when they apparently printed that. If you're a DMB fan, I wouldn't pass on this album, but I wouldn't approach it with high expectations. If you're new to DMB, I wouldn't make this one of your first choices. If you don't own some of their older stuff then go there first, so you'll know just how intoxicating DMB can be. Yes, I rated this album a 3/5 on Amazon but that is compared to what I see as DMB's past performance and their potential for future excellence. Perhaps I'm waiting for some 6/5 rebound that will never come, or chasing one more DMB high. However, no one should believe this is a 5/5 compared to DMB's earlier work, "except the [f'ing] nutjobs." I will concede that other reviewers may have anchored their scale in some other reality or some comparison that included bands like Jonas, the jumparounds and those guys from senior year who played at the kegger. The album doesn't suck, but it doesn't live up to the hype either. While some might label me a crash-head, if you're new to DMB (where have you been?) and you don't own any albums yet, start with one like Crash.

 

Big Whiskey and the GrooGrux King

Crash

Thanks for the blog and twitter mentions

Thanks to everyone so far who has been tweeting and creating blog posts and forum and social networking discussions about depressive pd, For example thanks Tammie Fowles, Ph.D, LCSW on your blog and on twitter!

Check her out at: http://psychotherapyandspirituality.blogspot.com/

 I'll try to periodically throw some love back to all of you on one or more of my sites.

Depressive Personality Disorder belongs in DSM-V

You can learn more about my new book on Depressive Personality Disorder (including how to buy it) at http://www.depressivepersonality.com

You can read the depressive personality disorder blog at http://www.depressivepersonalitydisorder.com/blog

 Also, feel free to e-mail toddfinnerty@toddfinnerty.com submissions for a free upcoming practice directory of professionals willing to assess for and treat individuals with depressive traits and depressive personality disorder which will be at http://www.depressivepersonality.com.

 

News Release about the DSM-V revision process

News Release about the DSM-V (DSM5, DSM-5) 

Revision of Diagnostic Manual Underway

ARLINGTON, Va. (Jan. 7, 2009) — Hundreds of clinical and neuroscience researchers, clinicians, and health care consumers from a variety of psychiatric specialties and backgrounds are working together to develop the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, scheduled for publication in 2012.

The American Psychiatric Association began the long process of updating the manual with a series of planning conferences in 1999. Years of planning, literature review, conferences, new research and debate among top experts in mental health research and treatment will go into the updated manual, known as DSM-V. "Revising the

DSM is a massive effort and a responsibility that we take very seriously," said David J. Kupfer, M.D., chair of the DSM-V Task Force. "The APA has worked hard to ensure development of DSM-V is the most inclusive and transparent process in the history of the DSM."

The 1999 planning sessions led to 13 NIH-supported international research conferences and the publication of a series of monographs containing research reviews developed in these conferences. More than 400 scientists, clinicians and others with expertise in all areas of psychiatry and from around the world participated.

Because interest in the DSM is widespread and its impact far-reaching, the APA created a Web site, DSM5.org, to accept comments for wider research and consumer communities. The general public, clinicians and advocacy groups were invited to submit questions, comments and research, which were distributed to the relevant work groups.

In addition, updates for each work group are published quarterly on DSM5.org. In depth updates and discussion forums are also provided at the APA Annual Meeting, the World Psychiatric Association World Congress of Psychiatry and at many subspecialty meetings — including the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, the American Psychopathological Association, the International Congress on Schizophrenia Research, the International Society for Bipolar Disorders, College on Problems of Drug Dependence, and the International Society for Traumatic Stress Studies.

An options book that lists major diagnostic issues and alternative ways of dealing with them will be available this summer. The options book provides the basis for field testing — a systematic process that evaluates the alternatives with clinicians in various settings. A draft version of DSM-V criteria will be released in 2010. A period of comment will

follow the draft, and the work groups will review submitted questions, comments and concerns.

The diagnostic criteria will be revised and the final draft of DSM-V will be submitted to the APA’s Council on Research, Assembly and Board of Trustees for their review and approval. A release of the final, approved DSM-V is expected in 2012.

"Our ultimate goal is to have a manual that is based on the best available science and that is useful in a clinical setting," Kupfer said.

The DSM-V Task Force and Work Groups, which include more than 160 experts in various specialties and sub-specialties from 16 countries, began meeting in 2007 to review research conducted since DSM-IV was published in 1994. These scientists, clinicians and patients from all over the world will recommend areas for additional research and ultimately develop the text and diagnostic criteria for DSM-V.

To bring the depth and breadth of knowledge to this process, the APA Board of Trustees decided at the outset to establish unprecedented rules for disclosure and limitations on income from certain sources for task force and work group members rather than exclude researchers with any industry relationships.

The members of the DSM-V Task Force and Work Groups completed extensive financial disclosures, which are updated and reviewed at least yearly. These disclosures are available on DSM5.org. Task force and work group members agreed to limit their relevant financial interests and to accept less than $10,000 in aggregate per year from all pharmaceutical companies.

Members of the task force and work groups represent some of the most respected experts in psychiatry. They have authored thousands of research reports, books and white papers. They have a history of leadership and collaboration with the National Institutes of Health and the World Health Organization. Task force and work group members include individuals who address cross-cutting issues such as differences in the expression of mental disorders by developmental stages across the lifespan, by gender, by culture and with different levels of impairment and disability.

It is expected that the release of DSM-V in 2012 will be accompanied by a range of clinical assessment and training aids and an infrastructure to accommodate continuous updates of diagnostic criteria as research advances are made that will improve diagnostic precision.

About the American Psychiatric Association

The American Psychiatric Association is the nation’s leading medical specialty society whose more than 38,000 physician members specialize in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and research of mental illnesses including substance use disorders. Visit the APA at www.psych.org and www.HealthyMinds.org.

The Other Side of the Story on Privatizing Psychiatric Services

By Rick Gibson, who also apparently was reading the blog and asked that I post his letter to the editor here. Its an all too familiar tale of closing treatment facilities but worth the read - 

So here is the link to the letter posted by By Reader request

http://www.hawaiireporter.com/story.aspx?d3ebc98e-03ee-4af1-ad06-ea1d74633ead

I'm happy to oblige

Neighbor-nosing has reached a new peak ;)

I just noticed a neat website if you're searching for specific information about a specific person or yourself- though I've never seen it before perhaps its old news to others. Check out http://www.pipl.com Whats amusing to me was it turns out there is another Todd E Finnerty in the same county in which I live, at least there was at one point in time.

Tripod has grown annoying and so I've moved ToddFinnerty.com

So, I just transferred the last domain I had with tripod (Lycos) which was ToddFinnerty.com to Godaddy, I also downgraded my membership to the lowest non free plan that was still suppose to keep things like this blog and being able to access files from elsewhere, etc.- Anyway, if you haven't been able to e-mail me at toddfinnerty@toddfinnerty.com for the last day or so thats why and it should be  back soon.

 I still plan to use the tripod account for something, but if it continues to annoy me I may downgrade it all the way to the free plan even though I had planned to keep hosting the MP3s there, etc. We'll see how bored I get since it has taken me this long just to get this far with transferring my hosting, and its hockey season ;) I do like the text editor though for files, however the service is nowhere near worth the monthly fees compared to what you can do at another hosting service.

Joe the Plumber speaks
I saw Joe the Plumber do an interview after the last Presidential Debate, I liked him and he seemed like a stand up guy in the interview. Its a bit of a shame since he had to invoke the socialism thing in regards to a 3% difference in tax rates for those above $250 K vs those below it, considering the various tax brackets we've had which tax higher income more- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tax_bracket, perhaps a flat tax would be less likely to invoke Karl Marx. I don't care, I do hope that Joe does make over $250,000 some day.

As it turns out, theres nothing wrong with googling yourself

You can go google yourself ;) and lots of people apparently do. In fact, a google search today for "managing your online reputation" came up with 423,000 results. 

 Meanwhile, its one more anniversary of 9/11.  I have too many potential website projects that I may never get to since my willingness to devote time to various hobbies comes and goes ;) does anyone have any ideas or interest in working on something for traumapsychology.org and disastermentalhealth.org? let me know

Spoiler Alert- Robin Hood on BBC America season 2 season finale

So, Robin Hood was an entertaining show that I made it through two whole seasons of, considering I watch almost no TV its sad when a show dies. Actually, the show itself didn't die (yet), but after the season finale of season 2, its unlikely that if they had a season 3 I'd watch it, and I certainly won't buy any DVDs of the show now due to the distaste in my mouth. What were they thinking killing Marian?  Anyway, if you were thinking about getting in to the show by watching reruns I would advise against it, you'll just be disappointed with the season finale of season 2.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/robinhood/characters/marian.shtml