From CNN. “The American Psychiatric Association announced Wednesday that it is radically reconceptualizing the main manual that clinicians use to make a mental health diagnosis. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders will likely get a new name, new voices shaping its content and a new approach that will add more layers to a diagnosis.
The hope is that it will turn what some call “psychiatry’s bible” into more of a guidebook to mental health disorders — one that’s more inclusive, dynamic and educational, so patients will receive more effective treatments.
While APA updates the manual regularly to reflect the most up-to-date science, the last update was 2022. Over the years, the DSM has come under heavy criticism. Some argue it’s not scientific enough, others argue it’s not specific enough, or even practical.
So, to improve the manual, the APA turned to an unlikely source for inspiration: its critics.
“The critics are loud, so it’s very hard to ignore them,” joked Dr. Maria Oquendo, chair of APA’s Future DSM Strategic Committee.”
