A Psychiatric Guide
The Diagnostic and Statistic Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is a guidebook published by the American Psychiatric Association (known as “the other APA,” to distinguish it from the American Psychological Association) to provide standardized criteria for diagnosing mental disorders. This helps mental health professionals by providing a common language to communicate with, and is especially useful when referring a patient to another professional.
It is important to note that while the DSM provides descriptive text on mental disorders for professionals, it is not the final word on diagnostic definitions. The American Psychiatric Association describes the manual as only a convenient shorthand meant for easy communication of mental conditions.
With that said, let’s take a look at the history behind the manual and a little bit about how it’s categorized.
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