Discussion and Responses (2)

Directions,
Use any scholarly references to complete the prompt(s) listed below. The order must adhere to APA format, the initial response MUST be at least 250 words, and it MUST also include a 150-word response to EACH of the student’s posts.

Prompt(s),
What is the DSM? Why is it important to mental health care?

Student posts,
Michele
Per our text, Basics of the U.S. Healthcare System, DSM or The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders is a guide published by the American Psychiatric Association that explains the signs and symptoms that mark more than 300 types of mental health conditions (Niles, 2015, pg. 351). This has been an extremely important tool in mental healthcare as it has been the guide for many providers in diagnosing and determining appropriate treatment for conditions such as anorexia. Not only is this used by providers to diagnose and treat conditions, but it is also used by insurance companies to determine coverage, benefits, and reimbursement for mental health patients and providers. However, in recent years, the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), has refused to further endorse the DSM nor continue funding. This change is due to NIMH stating that the DSM has not categorized mental health disorders based on objective science but more from inconsistent information gathered from clusters of symptoms that are then categorized as a mental health disorder (2015, pg. 352). With this change, NIMH is developing their own tool for treating and diagnosis mental health patients. With knowing mental health is such a serious illness it is interesting and scary to think that potentially patients have been misdiagnosed or had the incorrect treatment for their illness if it is true that the DSM has not accurately categorized mental health disorders and will be interesting to see what the NIMH’s tool looks like in comparison.

Massey
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) was published in 1952 by the American Psychiatric Association, it “explains the signs and symptoms that mark more than 300 types of mental health conditions” (Niles 2015 p351). They periodically publish an updated version of this, with the most recent being 2013. This has helped mental health providers diagnosis and treat mental health conditions from anorexia to voyeurism. Health Insurance companies also use this to “determine coverage and benefits and to reimburse mental health providers” (Niles 2015 p351). What I found surprising was the NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health refused to endorse the latest version, they also refuse to fund any mental health research based on the DSM. NIMH is however creating their own classification system of mental health disorders, theirs being based on science and genetics. I think this is extremely important to the mental health care community because having this information at hand can speed up the process of finding out what is wrong with a patient. With NIMH not funding the DSM anymore it will be interesting to see which one physicians will use to help diagnosis patients. I also found this interesting: “according to the National Institute of Mental Health, 9% of teens (13-18 years) suffer from an anxiety disorder with only 18% receiving mental health care. They can be diagnosed with ADHD” (Niles 2015 p352). I feel that ADHD is something that Physicians will just diagnosis a child (or teen), without listening to their symptoms and actually understanding them. A lot of children have anxiety but it is pushed to the back burner because why should a child have something like this. I think there should be a better Advocacy for Anxiety disorders, so everyone knows it’s okay to have feelings.