DSM-5 Release Set

Changes to the Diagnostic Statistical Manual  (Article)

DSM-5: The Future of Psychiatric Diagnosis

"Publication of the fifth edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) in May 2013 will mark one the most anticipated events in the mental health field. As part of the development process, the preliminary draft revisions to the current diagnostic criteria for psychiatric diagnoses are now available for public review and comment. We thank you for your interest in DSM-5 and hope that you use this opportunity not only to learn more about the proposed changes in DSM-5, but also about its history, its impact, and its developers. Please continue to check this site for updates to criteria and for more information about the development process." APA, http://www.dsm5.org/

(This is my beloved DSM-IV-TR, or Diagnostic Statistical Manual, 4th Edition, Revised)

I have a love hate relationship with the DSM. I took a couple of classes during my undergraduate years that went over the DSM, Diagnosing, etc. They were some of my favorite classes too! But the difficult part of my relationship with the "Pscyhological Bible" is that once you diagnose someone, that diagnosis sticks with them for the rest of their lives. They are no longer known as Bill by insurance agencies or Doctors, they are known as Bill with diagnosable 296.89 Bipolar II Disorder. But at the same time, the illness needs a diagnoses in order for it to be treatable and distinguished from other ailments. How do you fight something that truly was created for the better good of the Psychiatric world?


Stop by the website that I have listed above and see the proposed changes; such as:

• Asperger's Sydrome
• The change of "Mental Disability" to "Intellectual Disability"
• The introduction of "High Risk" of descriptors
• Estimation of the Risk of Suicide in adults and teens, based on the occurrence of mental disorders

The general public can leave comments and thoughts about the proposed additions/changes, because in the end this affects each and every one of us in some way.