Diagnosing Mental Illness
What is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)?
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is published by the American Psychiatric Association and classifies symptoms of mental disorder into carefully crafted diagnoses in order to ensure consistency across mental health professionals and their patients. The most recent edition is the DSM-V, published in 2013, includes the updates from more recent research as well as proposed areas of further investigation.
The first edition of the DSM was published in 1952 and has since changed and expanded significantly. As with any social scientific tool, the DSM is not a perfect measure of mental illness and thus it is important that it is constantly being re-evaluated with new research and information.
Other standards for Diagnosing Mental Illness
What is the International Classification of Diseases?
The DSM is the standard for diagnosing and treating mental disorders in the United States and in many other countries in the world. However, many use (either in addition to the DSM or in its place) the International Classification of Diseases (ICD).
The ICD is overseen by the World Health Organization and the most recent version is the ICD-11, published in 2018. Concerning mental illness, the DSM and ICD are not generally all that different from each other but neither are they identical.
Empowering Yourself As A Patient
The most important member of any treatment team is the patient.
The mental health system can feel frightening and confusing when you first encounter it, especially if this happens mid-crisis. If you live with chronic mental illness, you might feel tossed around by various professionals, never totally sure what is going on. But this should not be the case. As the patient, you have every right to be an active member of your own treatment team. In fact, it is vital that you are!
If you feel like the passive recipient of your healthcare, remember that you have every right to:
- Ask for an explanation of your diagnosis.
- Tell your diagnostician if you feel the diagnosis is inaccurate.
- Voice your concerns about medication or other forms of treatment.
- Tell your therapist if you aren't comfortable or would like to be referred to someone else.
- Tell your therapist or psychiatrist if something they said upset or concerned you.
- Ask your treatment team about specific treatments you are interested in trying.
- Tell your treatment team if your current treatment plan is not helping or causing you stress.
- Speak up if you feel your treatment team is not culturally competent. For example, you may feel that you are not being understood by your therapist due to differences in religion, cultural or ethnic background, etc. If you are searching for a therapist who belongs to a particular marginalized group, check out Inclusive Therapists. If you are looking for a Catholic therapist, check out Catholic Therapists.
From The Blog
On Mission
Your Mental Illness Is Not In God's Way
Your Mental Illness Is Not In God's Way
"For the growing number of awareness and education campaigns around mental health and mental illness, the United States still faces an ongoing mental health crisis. For all the behests for those who are suffering to get help, why do 9 million adults with a diagnosed mental illness report attempting to get help and being unable to access it?"
Your Mental Illness Is Not In God's Way
Your Mental Illness Is Not In God's Way
Your Mental Illness Is Not In God's Way
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"A few months ago, I read a post on social media from a fellow Catholic which was intended to support other Catholics dealing with mental illness. I was thrilled that more Catholics are beginning to welcome mental illness into their vocabularies and conversations...but then I got to a line that went something like this: "Mental illness is stopping them from being the person God created them to be." And, while I appreciate what I'm assuming was the intended sentiment, I take issue with this wording."