Just
what is a mental disorder? Diagnosing an emotional problem doesn’t come about
with a simple chemical analysis or blood test. Psychiatrists, psychologists,
and other mental health professionals typically refer to a document called the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) for determining the criteria for any
specific diagnosis of an emotional disorder.
The
reason professionals do so is to communicate with each other by using an
agreed-on set of standards, which the DSM provides. For example, the most
recent revision of the DSM states that to have a diagnosis of major depressive
disorder, you must suffer from depression for at least two weeks and experience
five or more symptoms. Well, some people have only four symptoms, but the
symptoms continue for 12 weeks or more. Does that mean that these folks don’t
have a major depressive disorder? That’s one of the reasons the DSM is controversial;
it isn’t always clear if someone perfectly fits a given diagnosis.
Therefore,
the DSM is constantly under revision and is considered imperfect in many ways. Professionals
continue to disagree with aspects of the diagnostic criteria.
