'Parity' through back door

Controversial and costly mental health coverage mandate is slipped through on back of bailout bill

* Supporters of parity celebrate the new law as signaling the end of "stigma," but they fail to consider that stigmatization is a marvelous negative reinforcer for undesired behavior, some of which is called "mental illness."

* Substance disorders are arguably a function of behavioral choices and in no way constitute diseases to which insurance should apply. Such self-destructive behavior is best explained by mindset, personal values and how a person copes with his or her environment. Incidence varies by cultural context, and people can clearly stop or control their addictions through an exercise of free will. Not so when it comes to bodily illness; one can no more will away cancer, heart disease or diabetes than he or she can will their onset.

* Severe conditions such as schizophrenia have been used to typify "mental illness," when it in fact constitutes no more than 1.5 percent of those labeled "mentally ill." A more prototypical mental illness, "adjustment disorder," is a name given by psychiatrists to people who have problems in living - hardly worthy of health insurance and an inducement against confronting one's problems and choices. The same could be said for "impulse-control disorders" such as gambling too much (called "pathological gambling") and other supposed mental disorders.

Unfortunately, major media outlets have often ignored these arguments in coverage of the parity issue. Major articles in The Washington Post and The New York Times, for example, include testimony only from supporters of the amendment.

Passing a measure that is objectionable in so many ways is bad enough. Even worse is the fact that such a contentious, scientifically questionable and potentially expensive piece of legislation was passed through the back door.

Richard E. Vatz, a professor at Towson University, is associate psychology editor of USA Today Magazine. His e-mail is [e-mail]. Jeffrey A. Schaler, a psychologist, is a professor of justice, law and society at American University and executive editor of Current Psychology. His e-mail is

[e-mail].