Evidence-based - in Psychiatry

In Psychiatry

Standard descriptions about mental illnesses, such as the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, have been criticized as incompletely justified by evidence. In many cases, it is unknown whether a particular "disease" has one, several, or no underlying biological causes, with controversy arising over whether some diseases are merely an artifact of the attempt to construct a unified classification scheme, rather than a "real" disease.

While some experts point to statistics in support of the idea that a lack of adoption of research findings results in suboptimal treatment for many patients, others emphasize the importance of the skill of the practitioner and the customization of the treatment to fit individual needs. There is some controversy over whether mental illnesses are too complex for broad population studies to be helpful.