We Were Super Wrong About Mental Illness: The DSM's Origin Story

We reference the DSM pretty frequently on SciShow Psych, and for good reason: it’s considered the gold standard for professional mental health diagnosis in the United States, but it was an interesting journey to get there.

Hosted by: Hank Green
----------
----------
Dooblydoo thanks go to the following Patreon supporters:
Jerry Perez, Lazarus G, Sam Lutfi, Kevin Knupp, Nicholas Smith, D.A. Noe, alexander wadsworth, سلطان الخليفي, Piya Shedden, KatieMarie Magnone, Scott Satovsky Jr, Charles Southerland, Bader AlGhamdi, James Harshaw, Patrick D. Ashmore, Candy, Tim Curwick, charles george, Saul, Mark Terrio-Cameron, Viraansh Bhanushali. Kevin Bealer, Philippe von Bergen, Chris Peters, Justin Lentz
----------
Looking for SciShow elsewhere on the internet?
----------
Sources:
----------
Images:

[SciShowPsych]

Correction: The American Medico-Psychological Association became the American Psychiatric Association, not the American Psychological Association, and it was the American Psychiatric Association that put together the DSM. Thanks to those who pointed that out!

[VictorKibalchich]

You've completely missed out how the DSM was developed as response to medical insurance companies wanting to know how to charge people. There's a reason that the DSM is only valid in the US, while everyone else uses the ICD.

[juangaby]

This system has killed, cheated, stolen, mistakes should have consequences for anyone involved whether its a so called professional or not

[pynkfreud]

The DSM, in addition to trying to understand and identify mental disorders, is based on a medical, not a psychological, model, and is a political document, as well. Hank refers mostly to psychologists, but it is written primarily by psychiatrists, MDs, and is a publication of the American Psychiatric Association, not the American Psychological Association, so calling it "the *psychiatry* bible" is accurate. And even though people do not usually fall into discrete categories of disorders, insurance companies won't cover a mental condition unless certain DSM diagnoses are used. It contains helpful information, but should not be thought of as "the gold standard." Unless gold stands for money. It presents good summaries of research, but a primary use is for justifying payment. Many of my colleagues use it solely for finding a reimbursable diagnosis and refer to other works for a more in-depth and multi-level understanding of the human condition. And The World Health Organization's reference publication, the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), is a more theoretically comprehensive, culturally informed, and helpful manual for diagnosis, which is why it is gaining prominence.

[naomistarlight]

I thought you were going to talk more about the later 20th and early 21st century and detail, you know, all the ways that the DSM and the process of writing it is flawed, all the mistakes and controversies, there is so much more to this story.

[elsie]

Compared to other medical disciplines we are so horrifically far behind in understanding about, recovering, and caring for people with psychological illnesses.

[nowhereman]

This is scary because as a society we give so much credence to these people, and in my experience with psychiatrist and psychologists they really seem oblivious to this perception.

[gravijta]

BDSM is far superior to the ordinary DSM!

[ryanliberty]

Now if only we could get society's understanding of mental illness to catch up...

[lazyperfectionist]

Now, if we can just start making more dramatic progress in the fight against the _stigma_ surrounding people with psychological disorders.

[lllll]

is freud discussed too much in psychology textbooks? if his theories are wrong enough to be cleansed of in dsm, they shouldn't be taught to high school students and freshmen in college. they should be exclusive to history of psychology

[levoGAMES]

It's not until the last (very) few decades that we have a deeper understanding and public awareness about mental illnesses.
And we're still learning a lot. Be born 30 years earlier and you might have gotten locked up into any asylum whereas now you'll receive professional treatment or ease of symptoms.

[MarieHolestad]

As a person who just recently got the diagnosis complex trauma ptsd, this is really interesting to me. Thanks for the brain food, Hank.😀👍

[caratomaso]

I'm a grad student in clinical psychology, and I'm constantly impressed by the nuanced approach that SciShow Psych takes to psychology. Your research/writing team is fantastic. Thank you for all that you do!

[teambeining]

Hank, you have a talent in presenting this information. Entertaining and informative.

[hufflebuffben]

We still have a LOT to learn. With only a few hundred years of study, defining, diagnosing, and treating mental illness still really new. We've grazed the surface.

[bingkurger]

Oh thank god that people are finally figuring out Freud was bonkers. Warms my heart cockles to see it here.

[thofus]

Thank you for the "... in the US".

[bullsquid]

Always makes me wonder what they'll say about our psychology ideas in a hundret years

[NewMessage]

"Sometimes a cigar, is just a penis. I mean a penis. CIGAR!.... Oh, dammit."

- Sigmund Freud, 1927 -