Question

Explaining the Classification by American psychiatric Association, give in detail the DSM IV classification system.

Classify mental disorder as per DSM IV.

Answer 1

1. Axis I – Clinical Disorders: These include the most commonly diagnosed mental disorders such as: 
   • Mood Disorders: Depression, Bipolar Disorder
   • Anxiety Disorders: Panic Disorder, OCD, Phobias, PTSD
   • Psychotic Disorders: Schizophrenia
   • Eating Disorders: Anorexia, Bulimia
   • Substance-Related Disorders: Alcohol and drug abuse or dependence
   • Developmental and Learning Disorders: ADHD, Autism Spectrum Disorders
2. Axis II – Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation:
   • Personality Disorders: Antisocial, Borderline, Narcissistic, Histrionic, Avoidant, Dependent, Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
   • Mental Retardation (now called Intellectual Disability)
3. Axis III – General Medical Conditions: Physical health issues that may influence mental health, e.g., diabetes, brain injury, hypothyroidism.
4. Axis IV – Psychosocial and Environmental Problems: Issues like unemployment, divorce, housing problems, or legal difficulties.
5. Axis V – Global Assessment of Functioning (GAF): A numerical scale (0 to 100) used to assess a person’s overall level of functioning psychologically, socially, and occupationally.

This multiaxial approach was later revised in DSM-5, which eliminated the axial system for a more integrated diagnostic model.