DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders) is the
standard classification of mental disorders that uses a common
language and standard criteria used by mental health professionals.
DSM gives descriptions of mental health conditions ranging from
anxiety and mood disorders to substance related and personality
disorders dividing them into categories. Each category has a list of
symptoms and guidelines providers can use to determine whether a
patient meets the criteria for one or more diagnostic categories.
DSM allows for a common language to describe mental health
disorders and creates consistency. With the help of DSM more
diagnosis can be made which helps with the study, research, and
treatment of mental illness. With ICD, the main focus is overall
health. ICD does cover mental health and behavioral disorders but
not in as much depth as the DSM. DSM was developed for diagnosis
while ICD was developed for coding.
