The fifth version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or the DSM-V, is expected in 2012 and already professionals are busy debating what exactly qualifies as a mental problem.
The book serves as the bible for mental health professionals and it is often relied on to determine if a condition is worthy of insurance coverage or not.
But critics argue that a major problem with the DSM is that it doesn’t factor in causes for disorders. So someone could meet the criteria for depression, for example, even though the cause of their symptoms is job loss.
That may be changing in the new DSM. At least one expert is advocating that conditions should have a continuum, with normal at one end and problem behavior at the other, reports Time. To read more click here.
