Both psychiatry and psychology are accepted sciences by most. There are literally tens of thousands of researchers working on better understanding human behavior and the brain around the world. It would be an odd thing to consider these researchers aren't doing scientific research -- and the hundreds of scientific journals in psychology and psychiatry aren't publishing science?

Every psychiatric medication approved for use goes through a rigorous set of scientific studies.

Starting with the DSM-III in the 1980s, the diagnostic system for mental disorders is scientifically-based. Each time they do a revision, hundreds of researchers and clinicians review thousands of scientific studies to help inform new or changed diagnostic criteria. Having said that, ALL diagnosis -- in medicine and mental health -- is part science, part art. ALL doctors, regardless of their specialty, don't just apply one set of criteria to reach a diagnosis. It is a mashup of lots of different things.

I think someone who suggests these fields aren't "real" sciences simply hasn't spent much time reading the research. If it's not science, I'm not sure what is.

DocJohn