Diagnosis and diagnostic systems Flashcards
What is psychiatric diagnosis?
The process of identifying mental health conditions by grouping symptoms and behaviors
This helps differentiate between disorders such as depression and psychosis.
What is psychiatric nosology?
A system that assists in organizing treatment and research efforts in psychiatry
It includes the classification of various mental disorders.
What are the symptoms used to classify depression?
Persistent sadness and loss of interest
These symptoms help differentiate depression from other disorders.
What may characterize psychosis?
Hallucinations or delusions
These symptoms are crucial for the diagnosis of psychotic disorders.
What ancient practice was used to treat mental illness?
Trephination
This involved drilling holes into the skull to release evil spirits.
Who proposed the Humoral Theory related to mental health?
Hippocrates
He linked mental health to physical health through the balance of four bodily fluids.
Black bile - melancholia / depression
yellow bile - colour anger or aggression
Blood
Phlegm
What is the significance of the year 1908 in psychiatry?
The term schizophrenia was first defined
This marked a shift toward structured psychiatric care.
What is the DSM?
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders
Published by the American Psychiatric Association, it provides standardized criteria for diagnosing mental disorders.
What does the DSM-5 require for a major depressive disorder diagnosis?
Presence of symptoms such as depressed mood and loss of interest for at least two weeks
This ensures a consistent approach to diagnosis.
What is the purpose of the ICD?
To classify all diseases, including mental health disorders
Developed by the World Health Organization, it is used globally.
What are challenge srelated to cultural bias in psychiatric classification?
- Misunderstandings due to Western-centric diagnostic systems
- Over medicalisation
Social construct, unlike physical disabilities and illnesses
An example includes different interpretations of hearing voices across cultures.
What influences psychiatric diagnoses unlike physical illnesses?
Social and cultural factors
This raises concerns about the validity of certain diagnoses across different cultures.
What are benefits of classification systems in psychiatry?
- Consistency in treatment
- Development of intervention which structured the specific illness
They provide a common language for clinicians, ensuring standardized treatment approaches.
What is the main argument of the antipsychiatry movement?
Mental illness is a societal construct rather than a true medical condition
Critics like Thomas Szasz argue that psychiatric diagnoses can lead to stigma instead of focusing on actual societal problems causing the mental illness
What did Szasz suggest about being labeled as mentally ill?
It could disempower individuals and divert attention from underlying psychosocial issues
This perspective raises concerns about the implications of psychiatric labeling.
