The quality of life for mental health patients has improved greatly
over time and made it possible for those patients to live normal
healthy lives with proper therapy and treatment. The Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Health Disorders helps clinicians
diagnose behavioral health issues more accurately. The DSM
provides a common language towards the development of treatment
addressing complex symptomology. ICD and DSM are different when
it comes to the intent and purpose. ICD is committed to public health
whereas the DSM is specifically focused on mental health conditions.
However, they both provide crucial information for the diagnosis and
treatment of physical and mental health disorders.
There have been significant changes made to the DSM which are
classified by the type and range, along with the severity of the
symptoms. The DSM offers accurate diagnostic information for
professionals assessing the needs and symptoms of clients. Diagnosis
and treatment can be impacted by differentiating between
conditions and symptoms. This is why it is imperative for providers to
have an accurate idea of what the patient is going through so they
can be provided with the proper treatment. There is a lot more to
learn about mental health, and diagnosis will change which results in
the revision of the DSM keeping it up to date as new information is
discovered.
References
Understaing the DSM- 5: The Guide to Diagnosing Mental Health
Conditions. The Recovery Village Drug and Alcohol Rehab. Retrieved
February 23, 2022,
from https://www.therecoveryvillage.com/mental-health/related/ds
m-5/
