Dsm-5 Disadvantages

1. How have ideas evolved over time regarding the causes of mental disorders?
Throughout history, the definition of mental disorders was based solely upon social prevalence due to the occurrence of erratic, behavioral disturbances. For instance, in the primitive times, presenting signs of madness or illness were determined to be a punishment from God or Pagan Deities which were believed to have to be alleviated by a religious figure, sorcerer, shaman or by an elected, witch doctor. As, time changed, so did the stigma behind the beliefs of the causation of mental illness, it was believed to be influenced by the spirit world or bewitchment, but when the Greeks and Romans developed a scientific approach describing the relationship between nature

and society, the concepts behind the development of mental illness had begun to take shape, as a sign of an imbalance. On the contrary, the stigma and perception of the causation of mental illness began to regress back to primitive ideas that it was caused by the Devil or demonic possession versus a disease of the mind which lead to the death of over 200 thousand people in certain cultures. Unfortunately, as it continued into a semi-modernized age, the psychological field believed in confinement and obscure “cures” and “treatments” which specifically targeted the poor or homeless, as reportable subjects. Luckily, the release and public awareness of the abuse that was being rendered within the confines of the “social warehouses” allowed for the dismantle of horrendous acts of power and the introduction of the more humane and politically correct practices we utilize today.
2. Discuss how the medical model became dominant in the definition and treatment of mental disorders. Why is it dominant?
The medical model has become the dominant paradigm of the connection between symptoms that are being presented, the experiences, the diagnosis, and scientific knowledge. In greater detail, the medical model has allowed for the separation of mental illness from primitive stigmas and the introduction of scientific evidence of mental illness, as a chemical or structural abnormality of the brain, similar to any other physical illness. In fact, this new evidence has allowed for more professional and accurate assessments by licensed psychiatrists and psychologists and the nature of the diagnosis. In the same way, the medical model has allowed for the creation of classifications of mental illness and the specific diagnosis treatment; known as the DSM. In short, the medical model is dominant because it has allowed for the creation of mental illness categories and more efficient treatments for the alleviation of symptoms like pharmacology and coping mechanisms.
3. Discuss the strengths and weaknesses of the different versions of the DSM. What is the most current version and its strengths and weaknesses?
The advantages and disadvantages of the DSM range from minor to excessive with the need for improvement for accurate diagnostics.

One advantage is that the DSM allows for professionals to communicate to patients about the relationship of their current, disruptive symptoms to a possible disorder with common attributes. One disadvantage is that the DSM does not resonate cross-culturally which can create an issue in diagnostics within a culture where mental illness is viewed, as a physical sickness or spiritual disharmony. Overall, the DSM-5 is the most simplified and modified version, it allows for a generic definition of mental disorders in relation with past behaviors, thought processes and emotions that lead to the abnormal, mental state. The DSM-5’s predecessors were impressive pieces of work, but lacked in certain areas of research and classification. For instance, the first DSM only separated psychiatric conditions from non-psychiatric conditions; the DSM-II theorized that disorders are only recognizable in their later stages of development and that the symptoms have to be defined, as regularly occurring or heritable; the DSM-III defines only those that are treatable conditions which carried into the DSM-IV, but was later revised to DSM-IV-TR where more empirical evidence was added along with the addition, removal, and reorganization of disorders which paved the way for the simplification of and the currently used

DSM-5.