Anxiety/Depression/Mental Illness Support

[Angrboda]

First, a Wikipedia entry on the DSM is not going to help a person understand how the DSM is actually used, both from a theoretic standpoint and that of practical clinical usage. Failing a good in-depth understanding of the goals and uses of diagnostic criteria, the novice frequently falls into error and misapprehension. Unfortunately, I've tread this ground elsewhere before, and am not feeling like retreading it here today.

Shell B is missing one whole side of diagnosis. Yes, subjective distress is a factor, but so is overall functioning (Axis V in the multi-axial model for those following along at home). A simple example would be my psychotic "delusions" which persuade me that the most important thing for me to do is kill myself. I don't slight any difficulties you suffer from AS, but over 20 involuntary hospitalizations and the loss of nine fingers as a result of a suicide attempt is, in most people's book, severely dysfunctional, whether or not my psychosis is personally distressing.

I'm rambling, so I'll simply finish by pointing out that you, RD, are providing a classic example of .