Should mental health practitioners who try to cure homosexuality (which is not a disease) lose their licenses?

Question

Homosexuality is not a disease condition, according to the psychiatric diagnositic manuals.

However, there are many people who say that they can "cure" homosexuality (although there is no evidence of success...only evidence of convincing homosexual people to remain celebate).

Mental health practitioners who attempt to "cure" homosexuality are thus (a) not offering treatment for any recognized illness, and (b) they are engaging in a practice that does not achieve its stated goals.

Therefore, should they lose their licenses to practice in the mental health field?

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Interesting that this question is being called "stupid" for two entirely opposite reasons.

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Answer 1

Actually the American Psychological Association has very specific guidelines regarding treatment of homosexual patients.
(follow the link below)

And have published several articles stating that a person being homosexual is normal and healthy for that individual.
(following link)

They have published a blanket statement requesting members no longer use the ICD-9-CM diagnosis code for “Homosexuality” &
“Ego-Dystonic Homosexuality”
(third link)

Have openly posted their Resolutions Regarding Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual Issues
...all them supporting previous statements that homosexuality is NOT a disorder or harmful to the individual and should not be determining factor on several issues.
(fourth link)

Answer 2

I understand you're reasoning and I agree that this is not an illness that can be cured, however, the people who seek these practitioners have chosen to participate in this. Nobody is forcing them to go to this therapy. It's more of a personal freedoms issue than a gay rights issue. There are alot of treatments for illnesses that are not officially recognized. These tend to be in the alternative medicine arena. So look how dangerous it would be to take licenses from all these practioners.. You do not want the AMA or any other type of governing body to decide what a recognized illness is and what treatment you can decide to go to. The line is drawn at things that are detrimental to health...or a danger to others. Trust me. as a healthcare practioner, you would not want to lose these freedoms.

Answer 3

This question is nuts! Homosexuality was removed from the DSM-IV like 30 years ago. Someone who is trying to cure homosexuality is not a mental health professional. If they ARE actually a legitimate, liscensed practicioner, then they are a RARE exception--for example, I am sure that you could find an MD somewhere in the world that uses leeches. You are probably talking about some psycho priest or cult leader.

Answer 4

No, they should not loose their license. Psychology is not a hard science and society needs people who experiment beyond the accepted norm.
That said: I totally agree that homosexuality is not a mental health problem in the strict (DSM) sense of the word.

It is a social problem in some circles though, and in those circles an accepted solution is to try and get rid of it through psychotherapy. This is how society works. One of the definitions of mental health problems is to function in ways that are socially unacceptable. From that perspective homosexuality is a problem - in some subcultures in the US (and elsewhere).

Answer 5

This is stupid. They should not loose their license for a number of reasons. "Treating" homosexuality is not the only thing that they advertise so cutting off their services to people with other more severe problems solely because of a technicality is moronic. Another thing is that these people willingly go into these places. They are not dragged kicking and screaming. So if these people want to be "cured" they are paying for a service which can apparently be provided, the keystone of any good business. One last thing is you are looking too much into word meanings. If they reworded their advertisements you would have no reason to even post this question. If they said "we can convince you to not be gay anymore," it would be fine. you get rid of a disease with a cure, just like you get rid of a thought process (which really being gay is, you do it because you choose to) by convincing. Stop being so nit picky and concentrate on something of real importance.

Answer 6

If the homosexuality is a condition that the patient wishes to attempt to change and the practitioner is not dishonest with the patient regarding the likelihood of success or make claims that the condition is a recognized disease, then what is the problem?

Is it a disease to have a crooked nose or small breasts? People go to surgeons all the time to seek remedy of these "conditions" without anyone suggesting that these are diseases.

Answer 7

Yes, I think they should if they don't change there practice to help the LBGT community instead of trying to cure it like a disease. We are human and some of us do suffer from "other" real mental illness like depression. They should be helping us with that instead.

Answer 8

I don't think that they should ever have had licenses issued in the first place. Makes one wonder about the intelligence required to become a doctor.

Answer 9

in my opinion that would make them a quack and they should loose their liscence

Answer 10

It is human torture, and they should be legally executed.