Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders DSM-IV

by American Psychiatric Association

The DSM IV provides the only comprehensive classification of all recognized psychiatric disorders in print. This edition features increased emphasis on multicultural influences, development across the lifespan, and substance abuse disorders. More than 1,000 clinicians and researchers have contributed to the revision of this classic reference.

Genres: Psychology, Reference, Nonfiction, Medical, Social Science, Psychiatry, Medicine

886 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 1996

About the author

APA is an organization of psychiatrists working together to ensure humane care and effective treatment for all persons with mental illness, including substance use disorders.

Reviews

[Daniel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Invaluable resource for diagnosing your own failings (and those of everyone you know). It's great fun to read the criteria for all the disorders. You can't help suspecting you have every one of them, and are in fact hopelessly insane.

[Kate Rosenberg · Rating 5 out of 5]

Diagnose everyone you know! Take up a new disorder of your own! One of the most fascinating texts I've read (most of). There is so much to chew on: for fun, try out a new disorder. If you want to be all serious about it, read it for cultural critque. What is a disorder? What is "the human condition?" What is old news? What do you anticipate will disappear when the DSM-V comes out? So many questions, so little time to learn the coding for all the really weird diagnoses. Time to play doctor!

[Puja · Rating 4 out of 5]

great reference tool (although outdated... published in '94, look for the revised version). keep in mind, its true that the APA actually VOTES these "disorders" into the DSM. debate amongst yourselves whether you would call this a scientific manual. the gender identity disorder section is only a few pages, and classifies 'standing up' to pee as evidence of a disorder.

[Malbadeen · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ugh! I HATE this book! I mean really, really hate it!

[David Evans · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential reading for anyone interested in mental health. I first came across this when I worked as a Medic in the Army and later on when I worked with "adults with learning difficulties and challenging behaviour".

I found the manual to be well written and well structured without using overly technical language. You can pick up these manuals for a few dollars/pounds, so its worth getting if you have an interest in mental health.

[Aaron · Rating 4 out of 5]

a bit dry. (haha, j/k!). Enlightening. Cathartic. but seriously Fascinating! humans are fuuucked up y'all! but luckily we can classify and catalog most of our disorders, so that is reassuring.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's some weird, disturbing, awesome hybrid of a useless necessary evil and an insightful meditation on various disorders and differential diagnosis.

It's generally not very useful for kids, even the section on Disorders Usually Diagnosed In Infancy Or Childhood. The DSM is all about differentiation, and the thing about kids is, they're just not all that differentiated yet. I'd like to see more acknowledgement of how disorders in children are, naturally and developmentally, going to be fuzzy around the edges, because kids just aren't cooked yet, and are still fluid.

But then I'll find a ridiculously useful bit on differential diagnosis among psychotic disorders or something that's statistical and insightful.

I don't really like diagnostic categories in most areas, but I do think that some disorders, especially those with a biological component, might have some specific features. And I think if people actually read the DSM, we would never have had that explosion of kids diagnosed as bipolar when 'didn't respond well to ADHD meds' was a more accurate description.

I first bought this one as I was heading off to grad school, opinionated but totally willing to admit that I didn't know much. When the next one comes out (I think I last heard 2012?), I'll be a lot more knowledgeable and probably not much less opinionated. I'm sure I'll have all new rants about the DSM-V.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

The standard reference work for mental health professionals, this is a starting point for trying to understand different diagnoses and conditions. Trends come and go in its pages: at one time, homosexuality was listed as a psychological disorder. Still in all, it is the place to go for a brief yet encyclopedic description of any mental affliction.

[Lance Reynald · Rating 4 out of 5]

very handy.

just for fun you can spend an evening sipping merlot and "finding" your friends

[Grace Krilanovich · Rating 4 out of 5]

Always on the nightstand. An excellent choice for your bedside psychological reference needs.

[Elyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a vital resource for counseling professionals who need to diagnose and treat individuals with mental illness.

[Carolyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading in grad psych classes

[Kim]

Think you're messed in the head? This book can confirm it. It is truly the mother lode of ways to be crazy.

[Johnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

Essential...essential for all the right reasons

[Terrance · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent reference book.

[Laurie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Required reading, but really interesting

[Dp4s · Rating 1 out of 5]

Political
-Inprisonment