29 Dec The DSM-5: Update to Changes
The DSM-5 is the main tool clinicians- and insurance companies- use to code mental health conditions. It’s also a highly controversial scientific manual for in addition to codifying mental health issues, it often stigmatizes the people who are diagnosed.
On December 1, 2012, the American Psychiatric Association’s board of trustees approved the newest version. This was no simple task. It took 13 years to complete and involved the participation of 1,500 mental health experts.
The changes to the DSM-5 attempt to view mental health issues on a spectrum rather than in fixed boxes. The best example is the changes to the diagnosis of autistic disorders. Previously, autism was codified as stages of severity that began with Asperger’s. Under the DSM-5, these sharp distinctions are lost and in their place a single autism spectrum disorder has been established.
Other changes include additions and eliminations. New diagnosises include:
Hoarding
Bing Eating
Skin Picking
The DSM-5 did not include diagnosis codification for:
Children who experience difficulty after their parents divorce
Hypersexual behavior
While not a perfect manual, the DSM-5 is our profession’s best effort in diagnosing and treating the wide range of mental health disorders from which people suffer.
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