Mental health disorders are when thoughts, behaviors, or feelings cause a person to suffer, or cause suffering to the people around them. When somebody is diagnosed with a disorder, it essentially means that their symptoms fit a certain profile that is associated with a particular diagnosis. Once they receive this diagnosis, they can find solace in the fact that many others experience a similar array of symptoms, and there is treatment available to reduce or eliminate symptoms.
Key Takeaways:
- Disorders are organized by psychiatrists in systems like the DSM-5 and ICD-11 which are the best attempt to provide guidelines for diagnosis.
- Even with guidelines, diagnosing someone with a psychological disorder is difficult as there is little conclusive neurological evidence.
- In addition, to lacking concrete evidence on the cause of disorders and distress there do not exist universal treatments for distress. Often symptoms can have additional causes.
“The lack of one-to-one correspondence between symptoms and underlying causes is likely even more messy and challenging when it comes to the brain.”