The Analysis of the DSM - Essay Example

The Diagnostic Process in Mental Health Place In order to make the diagnosis process of any mental illness better and impersonal, there are developed categories of the modern classification systems for mental disorders.First published in 1952 by the American Psychiatric Association, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) contained major diagnostic categories for mental disorders. Today, such manual remains the most used system for diagnosis of mental illnesses in the U.S. and UK. Through years there were published another five editions, which listed different number of diagnostic categories of mental disorders and each of them was revised. The DSM in fifth edition proposed a new definition of mental disorder, stating that all mental disorders have an substant biological component. Notwithstanding the considerable development in the field of neuroscience, the current science does not fully support that biological connection for all mental disorders. Moreover, the National Institute of Mental Health, which is the worlds largest mental health research institute, have also changed its position as to such connection of any mental disease with the biological component of a single individual just before the fifth edition of DSM saw the world. The reason for that was the absence of objective laboratory measure and thus no proof for or against the statement. The British Psychological Society consider some people to find a diagnostic label rather helpful, however, further helpfulness and the certain result iscontroversial. Whether clients are knowledgeable about the problem, its recognition and understanding, validation and explanation, not all specialists are ready to claim about the obtaining by these clients of a relief. For the clients such diagnosis is not clear enough to bring much benefit. Indeed, a description of a persons real problems will be more useful in recommending certain treatment. Notwithstanding numerous debates between opinions, the DSM-V gives a call for a completely different way of thinking about mental health problems and creates a doubt that all disorders are connected with primarily biological causes.  There are two interrelated criticisms that researchers and scientists state about the new edition of DSM-5 First, they claim of the unhealthy impact of pharmaceutical undistry on the revised edition. In addition, the increasing tendency to illustrate one’s early normal state, behaviour and mood is extremely wrong. Besides, some affirmed their concern about the lowering of diagnostic dimensional characteristics for frequet disorder categories. They also speak about the introduction of disorders, because it may lead to a further unsuitabe medical treatment. In addition, since the DSM-5 contains many specific proposals that lack empirical basis, it is not appropriate to take the written as the truth (Controversy over DSM-5: new mental health guide, 2013). One should also need to understand the relation of the DSM improvement with the validity and reliability. As to the validity, it is necessary to say that it determines if the evaluation procedure measures what it should to. If the measurement is accurate and the outcome is useful, there is no doubt in measuring something else. However, in case with DSM-5 such validity is controversial, as no studies were presented to prove that certain changes were appropriate. If one wants to see whether DSM has enhanced the reliability of diagnostic statements, it can be observed on the example of many depression by comparing the definitions in different edition of DSM. The description of this illness is clearer, more precise and old diagnostic definition is unclear and that is why certain clinical episode would have more meaning in further treatment than the description of the illness as that. Besides, it is impossible to ignore the diagnostic criteria for the same illness provided in 1968 and in 2000, while the development in science and technologies as well great changes in the environment have occurred. Thus, mania episode in DSM-2 published in 1968 is described as the illness that consists exclusively of manic episodes and are characterized by excessive elation, flight of ideas and accelerated speech. On the contrary, in 2000, manic episode was described as the distinct period of abnormality, characterized by the irritable mood. However, tern accelerated speech was changed into more talkative that usual. For the mixed episode, symptoms of mania and depression appear simultaneously. Besides, the DSM determines different aspects for disorders, which integrate into not only biological ones. Thus, environmental problems in one’s life, the degree of incompetence in the mental health or the inability to interact with the social world are sometimes the reasons of human abnormal mental behavior (Core concepts in mental health, 2013). In addition, there are also certain difficulties in determining of normal and abnormal behavior or mood that may be illustrated in different countries, where not only location but also traditions and customs play great role. The risk to label people who look different in the certain society is great and the same is with the diagnosis of the metal illnesses. Besides, the person is also treated in a different way being in different societies and one’s treatment is likely to continue long after an individual has stopped exhibiting the certain behaviors, which were labeled as abnormal. What is also important is the role of the context where an individual grows in. The fact that a person likes to dance but is perceived by one’s parents as inappropriate thing, along with “abnormal” behavior such as disobedience and aggressiveness toward family members may lead to the false diagnosis that a person has certain mental illness. Thus, the story of Opal Petty, who was forced to spend fifty years of her life in the medical institutions, because her religious parents considered her strange behaviors as a teenager were inappropriate and were sooner dictated by the metal disability. The false diagnosis of borderline intelligence made Opal Petty relatives to isolate her for long fifty years. When finally she was released at the age of 67, she won five hundred thousand dollars verdict after charging the Texas Department of Mental Health and Mental Retardation for their negligent subjecting her the false syndrome. She lived twenty years more with her family, symptom- free. As it is stated in the DSM-5, any mental disorder has an substant biological component. However, there are may be different consideration as to this statement. If to take the obsessive- compulsive disorder, there is a need to search an explanation in the history preceding the symptoms. Usually, it is certain nervous condition, during which the person tries to find the most appropriate method or mechanism for coping with such situation. It is intensive washing of hands or double check of the usual things. A depression, another mental disorder can be explained by the chain of bad circumstance which the person suffers from and the inability to cope with them causes the feeling of loneliness, negative thinking ad failure. However, mental health specialist is able to assist the client to cope with such a disorder by means of medications, thus no biological disposition is absent. Works cited Angst, J. 2013. Bipolar disorders in DSM-5: strengths, problems and perspectives, International Journal of Bipolar Disorder, Available from http://www.journalbipolardisorders.com/content/1/1/12 Controversy over DSM-5: new mental health guide, 2013, National Health Service, Available from http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/08august/pages/controversy-mental-health-diagnosis-and-treatment-dsm5.aspx Core concepts in Mental Health, 2013, Milton Keynes: The Open University DSM-5, American Psychiatric Association, Available from http://www.psychiatry.org/dsm5 Highlights of changes from DSM-4 to DSM-5, 2013, The American Psychiatric Publishing Read More