As the world evolve and we become more aware of our psyche, I would like to use this moment to elaborate on the fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5); this manual is the fifth edition of the American Psychiatric Association 's (APA) Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In todays’ modern world of physchology, the DSM, serves as a universal authority for the diagnosis of psychiatric disorders. Treatment recommendations, as well as payment by behavioral health care providers, are often determined by DSM classifications, so the appearance of a new version has significant practical importance. The DSM-5 was finally published in May, 2013 after many deliberations about the changes of its content, superseding the DSM-IV-TR, which was published in 2000. The release of this new and improved DSM 5 marked the end of more than a decade’s journey in revising the criteria for the diagnosis and classification of mental disorders.
I just recently got certified as a Substance Abuse Counselor, so my focus will be on changes on the criteria for substance use and abuse. In the new DSM-5, the revised chapter of “Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders” includes substantive changes to the disorders grouped there plus changes to the criteria of certain conditions. Substance use disorder in DSM-5 combines the DSM-IV categories of
Cited: Sources American Psychiatric Association, (2012) http://www.psychiatry.org/practice/dsm/dsm-iv-tr American Psychiatric Association, (2012) http://www.dsm5.org National Center for Biotechnology Information, (2009) http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16930171 American Psychiatric Association, (2012) www.psych.org