By Doug Bradley, NAMI HelpLine Coordinator One of the biggest
stories in mental health over the past few years has been the
proposed revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of
Mental Disorders (DSM). As the main guide used by psychiatrists,
psychologists, and social workers in the U.S. to diagnose mental
illness, the DSM is an important factor in our mental health
system. The manual often influences what type of care people get
(or should get), how practitioners are reimbursed, and how
people diagnosed with mental illness view themselves and their
recoveries. While the DSM-5 has not been finalized, there are
several big changes from the last manual (DSM-IV) starting with
the title. The American Psychiatric Association (APA) used roman
numerals (i.e., I, II, III) on previous editions but will now
use Arabic numbers (i.e., 1,2,3) for two reasons. Firstly,
Arabic numbers are more universally recognized. Secondly,
updates to the manual will be easier to track. Prior changes
were denoted by abbreviations