Study finds psychiatric diagnosis to be 'scientifically meaningless' (1 Viewer)

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Pod

Collected Consciousness
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A new study, published in Psychiatry Research, has concluded that psychiatric diagnoses are scientifically worthless as tools to identify discrete mental health disorders.


The study, led by researchers from the University of Liverpool, involved a detailed analysis of five key chapters of the latest edition of the widely used Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM), on 'schizophrenia', 'bipolar disorder', 'depressive disorders', 'anxiety disorders' and 'trauma-related disorders'.

Diagnostic manuals such as the DSM were created to provide a common diagnostic language for mental health professionals and attempt to provide a definitive list of mental health problems, including their symptoms.

The main findings of the research were:

  • Psychiatric diagnoses all use different decision-making rules
  • There is a huge amount of overlap in symptoms between diagnoses
  • Almost all diagnoses mask the role of trauma and adverse events
  • Diagnoses tell us little about the individual patient and what treatment they need
The authors conclude that diagnostic labelling represents 'a disingenuous categorical system'.

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Reactions: Lila and Linda

Pucksterguy

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Jul 28, 2016
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Not surprising. I always thought those "doctors" used opinion rather then fact.
 

Lila

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That point about diagnoses masking the role of trauma and adverse events seems particularly poignant as that is where we are likely to be able to make the biggest healing impact IMO.
Well, job security for healers, I suppose:ROFL:
 

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