Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

From The SpiritWiki

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a spiritually naive diagnostic tool used by mental health practitioners (mainly psychiatrists and psychologists) to help assist in the categorization of mental health disorders (i.e., crown chakra disorders). Currently, the DSM represents the psychological establishment's acceptance of "normal" functioning as the standard benchmark for psychological health. As a result, the DSM currently has nothing to say about the higher potentials of the physical unit.

The handbook categorizes disorders by clusters (mood, substance, psychosis, personality, anxiety, etc.). As defined in the DSM, a mental disorder is conceptualized as a "clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in a person and is associated with present distress or disability". The manual also provides statistics and descriptive information on norms of gender, age, prognosis, and treatment. The DSM-IV uses the multiaxial system for clinicians to map and better understand the functioning of the client.

Axis I: Clinical Disorders

• mental disorders (16 categories)

Axis II: Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation

• Develop early in life
• Pervasive
• Resistant to change (stable and long lasting)

Axis III: General Medical Conditions

• Medical health conditions that are relevant to understanding or managing psychiatric problems (i.e., the presence of diabetes, thyroid, HIV, etc. could be the leading reason of depression)

Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Factors

• Highly stressful circumstances in an individual’s life that is relevant for understanding Axis I and Axis II diagnosis (i.e., divorce, death of a loved one, loss of home or job, etc.)

Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning

• Overall level of functioning rated from 0-100
• 100=perfect
• 1=unable to function
• 0=inadequate information

See Also

Physical Unit

Psychology

Sigmund Freud

References

American Psychiatric Association. (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV-TR (4th ed.). Fourth Edition. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.

External Links

American Psychiatric Association

American Psychological Association