READ: Personality Disorders

Diagnosing Mental Disorders

When a psychologist is brought in to help assess the mental state of a suspect, they use what is known as psychotherapy and the DSM to analyze the mental health of the suspect. Psychotherapy basically means that they talk to the suspect and ask specific questions to get a better sense of their mental health. The DSM is a manual that helps psychologists come to a diagnosis. Both are described in more detail below.

Defining Psychotherapy

Psychotherapy is a term that describes many forms of talk therapy, all of which aim to explore distressing thoughts, feelings and behaviors.Psychotherapy is an umbrella term that describes a number of different forms of talk therapy. Other terms that can be used more or less interchangeably with the term psychotherapy include counseling and therapy. Psychotherapy is defined by the interaction or treatment between a trained professional and a client, patient, family, couple, or group. The problems addressed are psychological in nature and can vary in terms of causes, influences, triggers, and resolutions.

What Is The DSM?

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals in the United States.The DSM is the manual that guides diagnoses of psychological disorders; ithas been revised many times, and is both praised and criticized. It contains lists of diagnostic criteria for every psychiatric disorder recognized by the U.S. healthcare system. The current edition is used by professionals in a wide array of contexts, including psychiatrists, physicians, psychologists, social workers, nurses, occupational and rehabilitation therapists, and counselors. The DSM is often considered a "necessary evil", having many flaws but being the only widely accepted method of diagnosing mental disorders.