DSM-IV
The DSM-IV, produced by the American Psychiatric Association, characterizes mental disorder as "a clinically significant behavioral or psychological syndrome or pattern that occurs in an individual,...is associated with present distress...or disability...or with a significant increased risk of suffering" but that "...no definition adequately specifies precise boundaries for the concept of 'mental disorder'...different situations call for different definitions" (APA, 1994 and 2000). The DSM also states that "there is no assumption that each category of mental disorder is a completely discrete entity with absolute boundaries dividing it from other mental disorders or from no mental disorder."
The DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision, 2000) consists of five axes (domains) on which disorder can be assessed. The five axes are:
- Axis I: Clinical Disorders (all mental disorders except Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation)
- Axis II: Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation
- Axis III: General Medical Conditions (must be connected to a Mental Disorder)
- Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems (for example limited social support network)
- Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning (Psychological, social and job-related functions are evaluated on a continuum between mental health and extreme mental disorder)
The main categories of disorder in the DSM are:
| DSM Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| Disorders usually first diagnosed in infancy, childhood or adolescence. *Disorders such as ADHD and epilepsy have also been referred to as developmental disorders and developmental disabilities. | Mental retardation, ADHD |
| Delirium, dementia, and amnesia and other cognitive disorders | Alzheimer's disease |
| Mental disorders due to a general medical condition | AIDS-related psychosis |
| Substance-related disorders | Alcohol abuse |
| Schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders | Delusional disorder |
| Mood disorders | Major depressive disorder, Bipolar disorder |
| Anxiety disorders | General anxiety disorder |
| Somatoform disorders | Somatization disorder |
| Factitious disorders | Münchausen syndrome |
| Dissociative disorders | Dissociative identity disorder |
| Sexual and gender identity disorders | Dyspareunia, Gender identity disorder |
| Eating disorders | Anorexia nervosa, Bulimia nervosa |
| Sleep disorders | Insomnia |
| Impulse control disorders not elsewhere classified | Kleptomania |
| Adjustment disorders | Adjustment disorder |
| Personality disorders | Narcissistic personality disorder |
| Other conditions that may be a focus of clinical attention | Tardive dyskinesia, Child abuse |
Read more about this topic: Classification Of Mental Disorders