Running head: DSM-5 SUMMARIES
DSM-5 Summaries
Lisa Robertson
Liberty University
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DSM-5 SUMMARIES2
Schizophrenia and Other Psychotic Disorders
Schizophrenia is a serious psychological disorder that involves a distorted interpretation
of reality. According to the (American Psychiatric Association, 2013), individuals suffering from
schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders experience symptoms such as “delusions,
hallucinations, disorganized thinking (speech), grossly disorganized or abnormal motor behavior
(including catatonia), and negative symptoms” (p. 87). Delusions consist of an individual’s firm
belief in something that is not usually accepted as reality in society. Some common forms of
delusions that schizophrenics experience are, persecutory, referential, somatic, religious, and
grandiose (American Psychiatric Association, 2013).
When an individual experiences hallucination they perceive something to be real even
though it has no external stimulus. The most common form of hallucinations associated with
schizophrenia is auditory hallucinations. The individual will hear voices. Disorganized thinking
involves very unorganized speech. The individual will tend to be all over the place in their
conversation. There is more than one way that grossly disorganized or abnormal behavior can
present itself. One can go from being silly to extreme agitation, to absolutely no movement or
interaction at all (American Psychiatric Association, 2013). Lack of emotion, no energy, absence
of facial expression, lack of interest in daily life, and inability to experience pleasure from
positive experiences are all examples of negative symptoms. Schizophrenia and other psychotic
disorders can be linked to genetics, drug use, and medical reasons.
Elimination Disorders
Elimination disorders usually occur in children. Individuals with this disorder have
problems with the way they eliminate urine and or feces (American Psychiatric Association,
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2013), There are two types of elimination disorders, one is encopresis and the other is enuresis.
Encopresis can be voluntary or unintentional. Encopresis occurs when an individual continuously
defecates in inappropriate places such as in clothing or on the floor. One cause of this disorder is
constipation. It is noted that the cause of the defecation is not attributed to any form of laxative
or any other induced bowel movements.
Enuresis involves intentional or involuntary urination in inappropriate places such as the
bed or clothing. This behavior cannot be attributed to the use of any other substances such as
diuretics.
Paraphilic Disorders
Paraphilia is a sexual disorder where the subject is sexually stimulated by nonconsensual
sexual acts that will inflict harm on others. According to the American Psychiatric Association
(2013), voyeuristic disorder (spying on others who are participating in private activities),
exhibitionistic disorder (the exposing of ones genitalia), frotteuristic disorder (touching
nonconsenting individuals), sexual masochism (sexual arousal from being humiliated or
participating in bondage and suffering), sexual sadism disorder ( sexual arousal as a result of
inflicting humiliation, bondage, and suffering), pedophilic disorder (an adult experiencing sexual
arousal from children), fetishistic disorder (arousal from other body parts besides genitals), and
transvestic disorder ( sexual arousal from cross-dressing) are eight common forms of paraphilic
disorder.
Trauma and Stressor Related Disorders
Trauma and stressor related disorders are a group of disorders that create anxiety or fear-
based behavior as well as angry and aggressive behavior in individuals (American Psychiatric
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Association, 2013). In most cases these disorders are caused by traumatic and or stressful events
in one’s life. These traumatic events can occur at any point in an individual’s life. According to
American Psychiatric Association (2013), Trauma and stress- related disorders include reactive
attachment disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder, Acute stress disorder, adjustment disorders,
disinhibited social engagement disorder. Some stressful events that individuals experience are
emotional and physical violence, childhood emotional neglect, witnessing violent acts, sexual
violation, violent death of a loved one, and divorce.
Sexual Dysfunctions
Sexual dysfunction is a disorder that causes significant distress for the men and women
who experience it. These disorders can be acquired, lifelong, or conditional and are experienced
75%- 100% of the time. According to American Psychiatric Association, (2013) some of the
common dysfunctions experienced by males and females are delayed ejaculation, (delayed or
absent ejaculation), erectile disorder (difficulty gaining and obtaining an erection), premature
ejaculation (ejaculation within one minute of vaginal penetration), male hypoactive sexual desire
disorder (little or no sexual thoughts or desire for sexual activity), female orgasmic disorder
(infrequent or absent orgasms with very little intensity), female sexual interest/arousal disorder
(the inability to be sexually aroused), genito-pelvic pain/penetration disorder (difficulty and
anxiety from vaginal and pelvic pain during penetration with tensing pelvic floor muscles during
penetration), and substance/medication-induced sexual dysfunction (sexual dysfunction induced
by substance intoxication).
DSM-5 SUMMARIES5
References
American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders
(5th ed.). Arlington, VA: Author.
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