DSM Review

Abstract

Social workers use the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) to diagnose mental disorders. The DSM divides the mental disorders into three categories: mental disorders due to a general mental condition, substance related mental disorder, and primary mental disorders.

Introduction

This podcast gave a brief discussion on the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM). The social work license exam will include questions that will test our knowledge on the mental disorders listed in the book. The exam will also test how familiar we ace with the treatment of mental disorders as well as contain questions that will ask us to choose the most likely diagnosis based on a set of symptoms.

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Primary mental disorders are the mental disorders in the DSM except for those directing caused by a medical condition and or substance. Before diagnosing a primary mental disorder such as major depressant disorder you must rule out the possibilities that a client symptoms are directly caused by a general medical condition or a substance. Culture is also an important situation when determination whether or not a client has a mental disorder because sometime a client symptoms will reflect beliefs, behaviors or experience that are particular to their culture.

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A culture-specific syndrome, culture-bound syndrome or folk illness is a combination of psychiatric and somatic symptoms that are considered to be a recognizable disease only within a specific society or culture. There is no objective biochemical or structural alterations of body organs or functions, and the disease is not recognized in other cultures. While a substantial portion of mental disorders, in the way they are manifested and experienced, are at least partially conditioned by the culture in which they are found, some disorders are more culture-specific than others.

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Mood disorder is defined by pathological extremes of certain moods - specifically, sadness and happiness. Paranoid Personality Disorder, Axis I - A pattern of pervasive distrust and suspiciousness of others such that their motives are interpreted as malevolent Individuals with his disorder assume other people will exploit harm or deceive them, even if no evidence exists to support it (Criterion A). They are preoccupied with unjustified doubts about the loyalty or trustworthiness of their friends and associates (Criterion A2). They read hidden meanings that are demeaning and threatening into benign remarks or events (Criterion A4).

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Differential Diagnoses is a systematic method used to identify unknowns. Differential diagnosis allows the physician to more clearly understand the condition or circumstance, assess reasonable prognosis, eliminate any imminently life-threatening conditions, plan treatment or intervention for the condition or circumstance and enable the patient and the family to integrate the condition or circumstance into their lives, until the condition or circumstance may be ameliorated, if possible.

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DSM relates to mental disorders that relate to substance as well as suicide victims. Common suicide victims are suffering from a mental disorder that comes from major depression and bipolar depression. These are the most common followed by alcoholism and schizophrenia in the exact order. When situation are associated suicide depression it is most likely to occur within three months after depression symptoms start to improve. This is when a client is more likely to take action that to show because they have already went through the steps that it takes to now be in the verge of committing suicide. Having contact with each client will bring you back to assessing the presenting problem that will allow you to take notice of each disorder that is mentioned.

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Dealing with mental disorders there are clients that may come in that has substances abused that is trying to seek services. This is refers to a demotion of drugs as well as a response to a drug. When dealing with younger children during their child hood life some are face with an anti social personality disorder that cannot be diagnosed to the child if they are 18 years old, how every if the client is under the age of 18 who displays long standing of anti social behavior these is a diagnosis of conduct disorder. If the client meets the criteria for antisocial personality disorder this is what will happen if the child I not of age.

What is most interesting about this podcast?

As a whole this podcast in its entirety was interesting to me. I think that the most interesting to field of social work would be working with individual with disorders. The brain is a complex entity and is high interesting to me. Medical social work is the primary area of concentration that I would like to focus on.

What can you share with other students about this podcast?

I would share with other student from this podcast would be the complexity of mental disorders. Abnormal behavior occurs within everyone and in order to make a correct assessment studying the DSM thoroughly is something that every social work student should take into account. In conclusion this podcast was a great for refreshing my memory from previous abnormal classes.