The Board of the American Psychiatric Association has approved the fifth edition of the DSM (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders), for release in May 2013. The DSM is used by mental health clinicians; its approval marks the end of a more than a decade of reviews and input from over 1,500 experts.
The DSM-5 is divided into three sections:
- Section One is the introduction with instructions on how to use the manual, a list of current disorders and their criteria, and a list of what conditions need further research before they can be classified and recorded in the DSM.
- Section Two lists 11 specific diagnoses: some new, some expanded, including disruptive mood regulation disorder, binge eating disorder, and hoarding disorder.
- Section Three (those conditions not given formal diagnoses) include four disorders: attenuated psychosis syndrome, internet use gaming disorder, non-suicidal self-injury, and suicidal behaviour disorder.
There has been some controversy over new and expanded disorders, with dissenting opinions that they are risky and unfounded. Criticisms include, but are not limited to, concerns over lack of scientific evidence and influence over the use of medications, especially among children, an already over-prescribed population.
To read the announcement made by the American Psychiatric Association, you can visit Psychiatric News Alert website.