The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, otherwise known as the DSM-5, was written by the American Psychiatric Association and lists all the different mental Illnesses along with their symptoms. The DSM-5 is the “bible” of mental illnesses.
Mental illnesses started to be formalized in the 1840s as a statistical classification for hospitals and were used in the U.S. Census.1 The DSM was formally made after World War II and has been through four other editions prior to its current iteration.1 The DSM-4 was evaluated in 1999, and over the course of the next decade and a half, the diagnoses were revised with new evidenced-based data finalized n 2012.1 The current DSM has 22 categories of mental illnesses, including: schizophrenia spectrum disorders, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, depressive disorders, and obsessive-compulsive disorders.
The DSM-5 has improved the knowledge within the mental health industry and is better categorized than its predecessors. It has created a common language that professionals use to communicate with each other.1 This enables the mental health professional to better help their clients, in a general direction. DSM-5 has added cultural competence or the normality and pathology that change within different cultures and shows the differences in genders.1
In summary, the DSM-5 provides basic information on mental illnesses and their respective symptoms. The DSM-5 has changed diligently over nearly the last two centuries with a stringent review process overseen by hundreds of experts. The DSM-5 has looked at more demographic and psychographic information to better diagnose and help individuals with mental illness.With the assistance of the DSM-5, mental health experts are better equipped to help their patients.
Reference:
- American Psychiatric Association. Anxiety disorders. In Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed. Washington D.C.: 2013.
