Customer Reviews

DSM-IV: Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

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This book was required reading for one of my classes in the Master's Program at Portland State University to become a Licensed Professional Counselor. I refer to it regularly as it is a required reference for other classes. It answers many questions about the various mental disorders. It is well worth having, especially if you are working in the mental health field or dealing with the mental health field in any capacity. This edition contains more information and is easier to use than the DSM-III or the DSM-IIIR, which I have also used.

The DSM-IV has taken its share of knocks recently, perhapsmost powerfully from Herb Kutchins, and Stuart A. Kirk in Making UsCrazy : DSM : The Psychiatric Bible and the Creation of Mental Disorders (Free Press, 1997). Yet virtually nobody involved in any of the helping/human service professions can afford to practice without the DSM-IV, or one of its spin-offs, on his or her desk. It is rumored that lawyers have bought more copies than psychiatrists, but the American Psychiatric Press isn't telling. Full of flaws, contradictions, and sheer nonsensicalities, the DSM-IV nonetheless stands as the best the scientific world has devised in describing and diagnosing mental illnesses.

People who don't believe in mental illness, who think most psychiatrists are stranger than their patients, or who think that meditation, oriental massage, or past life regression are all the solutions we need to human problems will find no comfort in the DSM-IV. Neither will those who don't consider a science to be real unless its state of development permits its concepts to be expressed in equations rather than mere language. But in a world full of nervous, despondent, deluded, nasty, selfish, withdrawn, and otherwise troubled and troublesome folks, the DSM-IV, imperfect as are the people it describes and who compiled it, is the best guide we have in trying to make sense of it all.

^M^MA 14 year old boy is depressed. Is it just a phase, or is it serious enough to require medication to prevent his suicide? A 57 year old woman starts believing that her neighbors are pumping poison gas into her apartment. Does she need a gas mask, reassurance, brain surgery, or Prozac? A 30 year old woman is fondled in a supermarket and wants five million dollars from the store's owners for the emotional suffering she will experience for the rest of her life. Is she re-experiencing traumatic episodes of childhood abuse or is she a swindler? Stunningly important questions, all. Do we have perfect answers? No way. But do we need help in grappling with them? We sure do.

^M^MThe DSM-IV is powerfully political, full of bad science, and is probably over-valued in every setting in which it isused. Yet it represents the best summary of the work of thousands of people, all struggling to solve some of the most crucial problems we face in medicine, psychology, law, and social welfare. We need the DSM-IV critics, but we also need the DSM-IV.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-IV referring to the 4th edition) is often called "the psychiatrist's bible." Like a certain other Bible, DSM-IV is not holy writ (and indeed, in the introduction it explicitly states that the criteria contained therein are intended to be used only as guidelines), but it does provide an interesting look at Western culture. The evolution of the DSM has been fascinating, and I'm sure that when the next edition comes out, those of us who weren't involved in the writing will look upon the changes with curiosity and interest. (Those who were involved in the construction of this book may no longer be on speaking terms! It's an incredibly political undertaking, and I admire them for having the courage and the persistence to carry it through.)

Some of the disorders defined in DSM-IV, such as the Substance-Related Disorders and the relatively new diagnosis of Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, bear a razor! -sharp specificity and resemblance to reality. The well-established Psychotic Disorders, often considered the most severe type of mental illness, and the Mood and Personality Disorders, which the meat and potatoes of psychiatry, will no doubt continue to evolve, and I will look forward to seeing the next edition of this exciting book.

Not to be missed are the delightful appendices, which include such gems as the Defensive Functioning Scale and a number of tentative "investigational criteria sets - descriptions of disorders which are not presently diagnosed (officially) but which may be in the future.

The DSM-IV is the cookbook method of diagnosing mental disorders. The cookbook method is atheoetical in nature. The DSM-IV contains symptom lists, demographic, prevelance rates, and expected course of the disorder. The cookbook approach is useful for the experienced clinician because the diagnosis can be used across different theorectical treatment schools. The inexperienced clinician can be overwhelmed by the enormity of the manual. The information provided in the DSM can be useful for standardizing psychopathology research. I would recomend another introductory textbook about psychopathology as supplimentary to the DSM to groud the clinician in a particular theoretical model. Overall, I am pleased with the outcome of the DSM-IV, but I would want a more theoetical approach to supplement this cookbook of mental disorders.

I am a psychology major and this book has very few differences from the text revision that costs around $90-110 more used. I got mine used and it only had a name written in the front. Amazon is usually very good about that stuff. It explains how everything is categorized, gives you ICD codes for everything, goes over the symptoms, how to exclude similar disorders to get to the main one, and so on. A wonderful book for any Psychology major whether it is required or not. You will use this all the way through whatever career you choose probably. Great investment and easy to understand and find stuff in!

I really appreciated the condition the book came in. It was in great condition and the price was very affordable. I will use this book for many years to come. Thank you very much to Amazon.com and to the seller I bought this book from!!!!

If you are serious about learning about mental health diagnosis, you will need a copy of this manual. Hard cover is best as you will refer to it time and time again. This is the gold standard.

The "bible" of mental health diagnosis, it is a must have for those pursuing a career in any mental health specialty. Clearly describes the criteria for diagnosis. Provides better understanding of the line between certain mental illness

I am trained in computer programming and other sciences than medical, and was given this book by a neighbour who both suffers mental illness and was a former jail guard and political candidate for the Green Party. He found the book usefull for dealing with criminals. I myself have a disorder and used the book to explore psychology and psychiatry. As I recover I found my self with lots of disorders (whoo) and then simply read this book and knowing I was not so sick after all. It can be used correctly to rule out conditions.

I then gave the book to a women friend who was studying at Harvard.

I hope it could be used the way it's intentioned as it is a bit logical.

A good read with much information. I found what all that pop psycology and cocktail party talk was actually about in terms of people in my life.

The DSM-IV is a necessary tool in mental health care! It is not a coffee table book, nor a novel that one cuddles as they caress a mug of hot cocoa. If you are a professional, a student, or if you work with the mentally ill population in any capacity..this book is a must. The codes are for insurance rating purposes. This same codong is used for all medical conditions... Hardly a bad thing! People want their insurance to pay! It may be regretable that a diagnosis is immediately required in order for healthcare professionals to receive payment. But this is true of all healthcare-- psychiatric or otherwise. This is not a book for the patient. Anyone who works in the mental health arena, knows that this is not a layman's guide to mental health disorders! Anyone who suggests that it can be used in "self-diagnosis" has little understanding of mental illness. You wouldn't give a 5 year old a chainsaw!