Classification systems of mental disorders

There are two major classification systems of mental disorders. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) published by World Health Organization (WHO) and Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by Americal Psychiatric Association (APA). Currently, ICD is in its 10th edition, and DSM is in its 5th edition.

There are two major classification systems of mental disorders. International Classification of Diseases (ICD) published by World Health Organization (WHO) and Diagnostic and statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) published by Americal Psychiatric Association (APA). Currently, ICD is in its 10th edition, and DSM is in its 5th edition. They are popularly abbreviated as ICD –10 and DSM 5 respectively. Both ICD and DSM function as a system of nomenclature (naming system) and diagnosis of mental disorders. These system of diagnosis are used to label an individual's abnormal experience based on phenomenology of the experience.

Merits and Demerits of Diagnosis/Classification/Labeling in mental health

Merits

1. Systematic and Consistent across professional
2. Efficient to communicate across professionals
3. Can plan treatment and predict prognosis Improves objectivity
4. It is legally required in many countries diagnosis for insurance reimbursement

Demerits

1. Labeling perpetuates already existing stigmatization in mental health
2. It takes away human dignity
3. People start viewing individuals with any mental disorder from the lens of disorder and they lose their idiosyncrasies
4. At times it becomes very clerical and time consuming to keep records and assigning codes for disorders