The threshold for diagnosing mental disorders are somewhat arbitrary and can be adjusted
Each mental disorder is defined by a precise set of symptoms, how many must be present, and their duration, but there is a catch. The boundaries demarcating the each disorder is ever so much fuzzier in real life than they appear to be on paper. There is really nothing magical or preordained about any of the DSM thresholdsâshades of gray exist between their seemingly black and white cutoff points. Requiring five symptoms and two weeks for major depression derives from a fairly arbitrary choice, not a scientific necessity. Just as easily, the set points could have been set higherâsay at six symptoms and four weeks.
References
- Frances, Allen. (2013). Saving Normal CHAPTER 1. Whatâs Normal and Whatâs Not? (p. 44). New York, NY: HarperCollins.
Metadata
Type:đ´ Tags: Psychiatry / Philosophy / Semantics Status:âď¸