Diagnostic Statistical Manual Disorders Diagnostic Statistical Manual

Diagnostic Statistical Manual Disorders

Diagnostic Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders

Anxiety Disorders

There is a large array of more specified disorder types within the general category of anxiety disorders, but which all share a common symptom of increased anxiety (429). These are comprised of not only Generalized Anxiety Disorder, but also Posttraumatic Stress Disorder, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, Social Phobia, Acute Stress Disorder, Substance-Induced Anxiety Disorder, and unspecified conditions that do not meet the conditions of the ones outlined above. Generalized anxiety disorder, and its counterparts, is usually diagnosed through persistent levels of high anxiety within individuals. The DSM IV-TR describes the diagnosis for Generalized anxiety disorders as having six months or more of continuous anxiety which impacts the individual's quality of life (American Psychiatric Association 97). Other, more specific disorders within the larger classification do not have exactly that time necessity, but all require the feelings of anxiety within individuals to have been experienced over a prolonged period of time.

There are a number of biological, emotional, cognitive, and behavioral elements of Anxiety disorders. In many cases, adults suffering from anxiety disorder are focusing their worries on normal, everyday tasks including what they have to do at work, what they have in their bank, their health and well-being, among many other things. These are all elements that concern the rest of the population; however, those with anxiety disorders tend to worry about them much more, and in unhealthy ways (American Psychiatric Association 473). The worries become obsessive and all consuming, affecting the cognitive ability of the individual experiencing the anxiety. Unregulated anxiety thoughts can lead to cognitive disruptions that can disturb physical functioning. For instance, the occurrence of panic attacks can place the individual in direct physical danger. Anxiety stresses cognitive function, which then has the potential to be shown through physical consequences. Stress, as caused by anxiety, can have negative consequences on biological functioning overall, as well (Hyman & Pedrick 59). Stress is crucial to keeping up biological responses to crises, but also has been linked to alarming rates of heart conditions, strokes, and other serious conditions that can end up being life threatening. Such extreme anxiety can also cause emotional hyperarousal (Hyman & Pedrick 23). Such an over-excitement of the emotional well being can lead people into a vulnerable position where their anxiety becomes more than a natural response to life's challenges, but a serious weakness that decreases their overall quality of life.

Mood / Affect Disorders

There are two primary groups of disorders within the larger classification, depending on whether the individual is experiencing a sense of mania or hypomanic symptoms. Depressive mood disorders are situations where the individual experiences long bouts of depression. There are a wide number of disorders under this classification, including atypical depression, catatonic depression, melancholic depression, postpartum depression, psychotic major depression, and seasonal affective disorder. The most common one is major depressive disorder (MDD), where the individual experiences a single, but extremely long depressive episode. These episodes could be experienced only once, or more often, and could become recurrent. Bipolar disorders are the second element found within mood disorders. In such disorders, the individual experiences periods of extreme mania, where the individual is very often upbeat, intensely active, and running on what seems like limitless energy. Then, this is followed by periods of depression, where mood levels and energy dip significantly. The most common is bipolar disorder (BD), but can also include Bipolar I, Bipolar II, Cyclothymia, and Bipolar Disorder Not otherwise Specified (American Psychiatric Association 345).

Within mood disorders, there are also unique biological, emotional cognitive, and behavioral elements which can cause an individual to see a decrease in the overall quality of life that they lead. Biologically, the mood is tied to the overall physical health and well being of the entire body. Thus, individuals suffering from depression often experience fatigue and even soreness of muscles, which are symptoms linked to their diagnosis of depression. Moreover, the DSM IV-TR illustrates that episodes of Major Depression are often triggered by psychosocial stressors (American Psychiatric Association 355). Substance induced mood disorders are also very common, showing the biological nature of many mood disorders. Substance abuse can cause limited serotonin and other pleasure producers in the brain, which then often lead the individual into states of depression because of the decreased feelings they are experiencing. Most often, substance abuse is tied to Major Depression. The emotional state of the individual suffering from a mood disorder is often severely impacted, especially in cases of depression. One can become so depressed that suicide is an increased risk, showing the depth of the emotional despair the individual is currently incased within.

Dissociative Disorders

Dissociative disorders often occur in situations where the individual's cognitive functioning is fragmented, causing a disruption in awareness, perception, and self understanding. The research does link traumatic experiences to the later diagnosis of various dissociative disorders, such as acute stress disorder and post traumatic stress disorder. Other more specified classifications include depersonalization disorder, dissociative identity disorder, dissociative amnesia, and dissociative fugue (American Psychiatric Association 519).

Often times, diagnoses of dissociative disorders come after the individual had experienced some type of psychological trauma. Many times, a traumatic event or experience within an individual's childhood will later manifest itself within the conditions of their later dissociative disorder. In this, the various disorders are often recognized as psychological defense mechanisms that subconsciously protect the individual from and certain stimulus or trauma that may have negative impacted their psychological and emotional state in the past (Klein & Doane 67). Researchers have also discovered that abnormal attachment styles in infancy and toddlerhood can be signs of dissociative disorders within young children. This shows how dissociative disorders can impact behavior, even at such a young age. From a cognitive perspective, dissociative disorders can cause dysfunction within cognitive processes and the behaviors associated with normal brain functioning. Individuals suffering from a dissociative order often find their relationships, abilities, and emotional capacities severely impaired by their dysfunction in perception and awareness (American Psychiatric Association 521).

Somatoform Disorders