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The DSM-V
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (5th Edition), or DSM-V, is published by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) and is the most widely-used diagnostic tool for psychological disorders in North America. Each edition reflects changes in our understanding of mental health and social norms, often adding, modifying, or removing disorders and criteria from prior editions.
Manuals are needed because mental health diagnoses need to be reliable (different clinicians should arrive at the same conclusion for the same set of symptoms) and valid (the diagnosis should accurately capture the symptoms and disorders present).
Like prior editions, the DSM-5 organizes disorders into categories such as: anxiety disorders, mood disorders, personality disorders, and substance-related disorders.
However, it added a dimension approach for symptoms to capture different levels of severity (i.e. mild, moderate, severe). Clinicians must also account for how long symptoms have persisted and the impact on the individual's daily functioning.
Some criticize the DSM for overdiagnosing and pathologizing normal behaviour and for centering Western social norms and understandings of mental health — though the DSM-V integrates cultural factors more than previous editions.