Pray Away the Gay: Is it malpractice?

[emmiedahl]

A student in Portland has filed a report with two psychiatric associations asking for "conversion therapy", also known as pray away the gay, to be basically forbidden.

http://www.komonews.com/news/local/150789075.html

Any thoughts? I am personally all for it. This type of therapy is curing a non-problem, and at a huge expense. It has been found to be ineffective and also to cause other mental issues. The idea that homosexuality is curable is not consistent with the level of scientific rigor we expect of a psychiatrist. In addition, homosexuality is not a mental disorder and does not require treatment. Obviously a person may need to have help with adjusting to the societally imposed issues with being gay, but there is nothing medical about treating it as a problem.

[Deleted07]

Yeah its just guilt and shaming, nothing therapeutic about that!

[2xx1xy1JD]

There would definitely need to be fully informed consent, along the lines of "this is no longer considered a mental illness, the therapy has not been proven to be effective in its goal, there is a possibility of reversion after entering into a committed heterosexual relationship and a risk that the therapy itself may cause harm."

That said - I wonder if this is similar to any other situation where someone may want an unproven therapy, or treatment for something that is socially distressing but not actually a medical issue?

By the same criteria (ie. not an actual medical problem and carrying a risk of harm), shouldn't cosmetic surgery be banned as well?

[Coconut Flan]

I missed something in the story. Did he want the therapy and then change his mind? Did the therapist mislead him into trying that kind of therapy? Did the therapist agree to more standard treatment and then deceitfully do the conversion therapy? Why did he stay and not switch therapists?

[YPestis]

Prayer is not medical therapy and can't be offered as such. I don't think you can "forbid" people in general from attempting it, but you can't treat patients with it or charge the insurance company for it. Homosexuality have been stricken from the list of mental disease since the 1960's. I can't imagine any reputable psychiatrists who would charge patients for "conversion therapy".

[Coconut Flan]

I get that but the guy was suing the therapist for malpractice and I was confused how it all began and why he stayed with it all. Do we know how he got involved with that "therapy?" Did he not realize it wasn't recognized until he'd been going for months?

[Lala29]

I get that but the guy was suing the therapist for malpractice and I was confused how it all began and why he stayed with it all. Do we know how he got involved with that "therapy?" Did he not realize it wasn't recognized until he'd been going for months?

Well, hope springs eternal. This type of therapy had a certified psychiatrist hawking it, and, depending on the guy's upbringing, he probably hoped he could be cured of his 'evil'. When that failed and/or he came to terms with his homosexuality, and he felt duped?

One of many possible scenarios.