Classification of mental disorders

One reason it is used is so that social workers can diagnose the patient and another reason it is used is so that they can come with a treatment plan. According to Schwitzer (2015), “Specifically the DSM-5 is a classification system that divides client presentations into mental disorders based on sets of criteria that are made up of observable features” (pg. 16). Social workers use the DSM to figure out a treatment plan oppose to psychiatrist and psychology who would use the DSM to focus on the…

Personality Disorders According to the largest study ever conducted on personality disorders by the U.S. National Institutes of Health about ten percent of the U.S. population has borderline personality disorder. Borderline Personality Disorder obviously doesn’t affect everyone, but for those that suffer from it, it surely isn’t an easy thing to cope with. Personality disorders are characterized by a maladaptive thought pattern, feelings, and/or behaviors that can cause serious detriments to…

and how the disorders impact daily functioning and relationships. According to the statistical data collected by the Anxiety and Depression Association of America, ADAA:  Anxiety disorders are the most common mental illness in the U.S., affecting 40 million adults in the United States age 18 and older, or 18% of the population.…

Schizoaffective disorder as described in mayoclinic.org is when someone is diagnosed with a combination of schizophrenia and a separate mood disorder such as mania or depression. In the DSM 5 schizoaffective disorder actually has two classifications. F25.0 is classified as a bipolar type illness while F25.1 is classified as a depressive type. There is currently no one test available that is able to determine if someone has schizoaffective disorder. In fact schizoaffective disorder is very…

Mental heath has been misunderstood since the beginning of time and continues to be a misconceived subject. Although, mental health treatment has come a long way from the ancient Paleolithic trephining, which was the process of boring a hole into the skull to relieve pressure in the head or clear out bone fragments. The Ancient Greeks were one of the first civilizations to have mental health treatment similar to modern day. Their journey to the understanding of the brain is fascinating as they…

Determining a clear diagnosis for any mental illness poses an issue as there are no physical indicators of an individual's perceived mental health or lack thereof. Receiving a diagnosis only occurs because of an individual’s decision to do so, and even then, it is a diagnosis solely based on judgment. Due to this, society has an alarming amount of power in its hands. Society can shape an individual’s views and perceptions about mental health simply by imposing norms and twisting opinions, often…

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder? “According to the American Psychiatric Association, Post-traumatic stress disorder is known to be an anxiety disorder that resulted from a particular tragic or terrifying incident stimulating major stress. Individual with PTSD normally have constant frightening thoughts & memories of their past encounters, this makes them emotionally numb to their close relatives or friends. PTSD knows no age limit or barrier, it can happen at any age. This disorder interrupts…

In the world of mental disorders the most thought of disorders are the ones that are caused by physical or chemical abnormality. These are treated fairly easily and can be identified in early stages. There is however a certain group of disorders that is often not thought about. They are a strange, peculiar type of disorders that are not caused a physical or chemical abnormality. The cause for these disorders are the exaggeration of personality traits like shyness, apathy, or introversion. The…

For the purpose of discussing the identification and categorisation of mental illness, this essay will focus on the chapter of Obsessive-Compulsive Related Disorders (OCRDs) from the current edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-V). An emphasis will be placed on hoarding disorder (HD), a newly recognised disorder characterised by the compulsive acquisition of objects, with persistent difficulty discarding or parting with possessions, and significant associated…

Personality disorders affect millions of people worldwide. Although it does not discriminate among socioeconomic parameters or race, mental disorders control how people interact with each other through all areas of life. Sociopathy, a mental disorder which curtails emotional connectivity, such as empathy, guilt, compassion, and shame to society, plagues a behavior, one cannot simply look into present actions, but a person as a whole. It is often confused by nonmedical professionals for…