What is the purpose of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Question

What is the purpose of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)? 2. a.What are the characteristics of Generalized Anxiety Disorder? b.How might this disorder best be treated? 3. a.Identify two of the potential biopsychosocial factors explaining mood disorders. b.How might mood disorders best be treated? is a chronic mental health disorder characterized by positive and/or negative symptoms. b.How might this disorder best be treated? consist of long-standing patterns of malfunctioning. b.How might the patterns of malfunctioning best be treated? a.

Explanation / Answer

2) DSM

DSM is an abbreviation used for the "Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders," It is a comprehensive manual or a guide that classifies officially recognized psychiatric disorders. It is published by the American Psychiatric Association, to guide mental health professionals as well as to ensure uniformity of diagnosis.

According to DSM-5 "A mental disorder is a syndrome characterized by clinically significant disturbance in an individual's cognition, emotion regulation, or behavior that reflects a dysfunction in the psychological, biological, or developmental processes underlying mental functioning. Mental disorders are usually associated with significant distress in social, occupational, or other important activities. An expectable or culturally approved response to a common stressor or loss, such as the death of a loved one, is not a mental disorder. Socially deviant behavior (e.g., political, religious, or sexual) and conflicts that are primarily between the individual and society are not mental disorders unless the deviance or conflict results from a dysfunction in the individual, as described above."

Purposes of DSM are as follows:

·It provides Criteria for Diagnosis- the DSM provides symptom-based diagnostic categories, or "criteria sets with defining features" in order to help diagnose all mental disorders. It follows a phenomenological approach, which means it provides criteria that can be gained through externally observable phenomena.

·It establishes Numerical Codes for mental disorders – in order to create uniformity among mental health professionals from all over the world in the diagnosis of disorders, DSM provides numerical codes for each disorder which helps in recording and communicating about these disorders easily.

·The DSM's Stated Purposes – apart from these, DSM itself states the following purposes.

o“A helpful guide to clinical practitioners”

o"Facilitate research and improve communication among clinicians and researchers"

oTo function as "an educational tool for teaching psychopathology"

3) Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder, commonly known as GAD is severe or chronic tension and worry about many things without much provocation. GAD involves anticipating disaster, often worrying excessively about health, money, family, or work. Sometimes, just the thought of getting through the day brings on anxiety for people with GAD. Most of the people with GAD realize themselves that their worries are unwarranted but somehow they are unable to shake their concerns. It makes them difficult to perform even day-to-day activities. They find it extremely difficult to relax and to get an adequate and peaceful sleep. The symptoms of GAD maybe as follows:

Symptoms of GAD

These symptoms must last for six months or more than that to be diagnosed as GAD. People with this disorder usually:

Common body symptoms are:

Treatment of GAD

The treatment of all anxiety disorders typically consists of a combination of psychotherapy and medicines.

There are a number of types of treatment which can help in dealing with GAD. Supportive and interpersonal therapy can be of great help. Cognitive behavioral treatment (CBT) has been more researched and specifically targets thoughts, physical symptoms and behaviors including the over-preparation, planning and avoidance that characterizes GAD. Mindfulness based approaches and Acceptance Commitment Therapy have also been investigated with positive outcome in the treatment of GAD. All therapies (sometimes in different ways) help people change their relationship to their symptoms. They help people to understand the nature of anxiety itself, to be less afraid of the presence of anxiety, and to help people make choices independent of the presence of anxiety. The adult CBT treatments for GAD have been modified for children and teens and show positive outcomes.

Other than these methods, there are a number of medication choices for GAD, usually the SSRIs either alone or in combination with therapy.

Relaxation techniques, meditation, yoga, exercise, and other alternative treatments are found to be very effective in the treatment of GAD and other anxiety disorders.

4) Mood Disorder

Every human being experience what we call mood swing or changing patterns of mood like sadness, happiness, irritability, anger etc. It is quite normal to experience this. But mood disorder is a condition which encompasses a wide array of moos issues, egs-Depressive disorder, Bipolar disorder, Dysthymic disorder etc.

Each mood disorder comes with unique symptoms but there are several common symptoms many mood disorders present. They include:

Now what causes mood disorder? Researchers still do not know the exact causes of depression and bipolar disorder, but some combination of genetic predisposition and psychological and medical factors do to play a role in causing mood disorders.

When people get depressed, there are many chemical changes occurring in the brain, and researchers believe that these changes are somehow linked to the symptoms of mood disorders, especially depression.

The brain is composed of distinct regions, and each are made up of networks of nerve cells called neurons that transmit messages throughout the nervous system. Individual neurons are separated by small gaps at each end and are called synaptic clefts. Chemicals called neurotransmitters bridge the synaptic clefts and pass messages from one neuron to the next. Imbalances in three particular neurotransmitters—serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine—appear to contribute to depression and bipolar disorder, although less is known about changes in the brain that occur during the manic phase of bipolar disorder.

One specific brain region thought to be involved in depression is the limbic system, which affects our emotional behavior. An area within this system, the hypothalamus, regulates the pituitary gland, which in turn regulates key hormones and may be involved in the hormonal imbalances sometimes associated with depression.

Treatment of mood disorders

Depending on the severity of the mood disorder and which type a person has there are many options in the treatment of mood disorders. Some forms of treatment for mood disorders include:

Medications can play a role in treating several mental disorders and conditions. Treatment may also include psychotherapy (also called “talk therapy”) and brain stimulation therapies (less common). In some cases, psychotherapy alone may be the best treatment option. Choosing the right treatment plan should be based on a person's individual needs and medical situation and under a mental health professional’s care.

5) Schizophrenia is a chronic mental health disorder characterized by positive or negative symptoms.

Treatment of Schizophrenia

Schizophrenia is a disorder that requires lifelong treatment, even when symptoms have subsided. Treatment with medications and psychosocial therapy can help manage the condition but they do not cure the disease completely. In some cases, hospitalization may also be needed.

A psychiatrist who is experienced in treating schizophrenia usually guides treatment. The treatment team also may include a psychologist, social worker, psychiatric nurse and possibly a case manager to coordinate care.

Schizophrenia typically requires a combination of treatments, including medication, psychological counseling and social support.

Medication

The major medications used to treat schizophrenia are called antipsychotics. They are generally effective for treating the positive symptoms of schizophrenia. The reaction to antipsychotic drugs will differ from person to person, so a patient may need to try several before finding the one that works best.

If a medication does help, it is important to continue it even after symptoms get better as there are chances that symptoms may relapse once you stop medicines.

Clozapine. Clozapine (Clozaril) is a unique antipsychotic. It works so differently from other antipsychotics that it is useful to try if no other medication has provided enough relief. However, Clozapine can impair the body's ability to make white blood cells, hence anyone taking this drug must have regular blood tests to check those cell counts. On the positive side, people tend not to develop the muscle rigidity or the involuntary muscle movements seen with older antipsychotics. For some people, clozapine may be the best overall treatment for schizophrenia symptoms, so they may decide that the potential benefit of taking it is worth the risks.

The symptoms of schizophrenia may be mimicked by many other disorders or other disorders may accompany schizophrenia, hence other classes of medication may be tried, such as antidepressants and mood stabilizers. Sometimes anti-anxiety medications help to control anxiety or agitation.

Psychosocial Treatments

Studies and experiments show that psychosocial treatments are essential to the treatment of schizophrenia. But still these treatments are not given instead of medications; they are given in addition to medications.

In other words, the combination of medication and psychosocial treatment is most helpful in the treatment of schizophrenia.

Several approaches are useful:

The common therapies useful in the treatment of schizophrenia are

The overall goal of psychosocial treatment is to provide ongoing emotional and practical support, education about the illness, perspective on the symptoms of the illness, advice about managing relationships and health, skills for improved functioning and orientation to reality. There may be an emphasis on sustaining motivation and solving problems. All of these efforts can help a patient stick with treatment. The longer and more trusting the relationships (with a therapist or case manager), the more useful it will be for the person affected by this illness.

6) Personality disorders consist of long-standing patterns of malfunctioning.

Treatment of Personality disorders

The best treatment method usually depends on the particular personality disorder one is having, its severity and your life situation. Usually, a team approach is required to make sure all the psychiatric, medical and social needs of the patient are met. The treatment may require months or years because personality disorders are long-standing.

Typically the treatment team may include:

If the patient has mild symptoms that are well-controlled, they need treatment from only your primary doctor, a psychiatrist or other therapist. If possible, it would be good to find a mental health professional with experience in treating personality disorders.

Psychotherapy, also called talk therapy, is a very effective way to treat personality disorders.

Psychotherapy

During psychotherapy with a mental health professional, we learn about our condition and talk about your moods, feelings, thoughts and behaviors. We also learn to cope with stress and manage your disorder.

Psychotherapy may be provided in individual sessions, group therapy, or sessions that include family or even friends. There are several types of psychotherapy — your mental health professional can determine which one is best for you.

They also provide social skills training. During this training we can use the insight and knowledge you gain to learn healthy ways to manage the symptoms and reduce behaviors that interfere with the functioning and relationships.

Family therapy is very important because it provides support and education to families dealing with a family member who has a personality disorder.

Medications

There are no medications specifically approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to treat personality disorders. However, several types of psychiatric medications may help with various symptoms of personality disorder.

Hospital and residential treatment programs

In some cases, a personality disorder may be so severe that the patient would have to be admitted to a hospital for psychiatric care. This usually occurs when the patient becomes unable to take care of their own needs and is in a situation prone to cause harm to self as well as others.

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