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What classifies a disorder as Depressive? Each disorder within this class involves the individual feeling empty, sad and/or irritable, while also experiencing physical and cognitive changes that disrupt their typical functioning in school, at work, or in other important settings.  Depressive Disorders are distinguished from one another based on the timing, or age of onset…

The final installment of Bipolar and Related Disorders describes Other Specified Bipolar and Related Disorder and Unspecified Bipolar and Related Disorder.  Diagnosis with one of these disorders is reserved for individuals who do not meet the full criteria for any of the Bipolar and Related Disorders, but whose symptoms cause “significant distress or impairment in…

Part Three of Bipolar and Related Disorders details Cyclothymic Disorder, Substance/Medication-Induced Bipolar and Related Disorder, and Bipolar and Related Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition. Diagnosis with one of these disorders requires that their respective symptoms cause “significant distress or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning” (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of…

Part Two of Bipolar and Related Disorders compares and contrasts Bipolar I and Bipolar II Disorders.  Characteristics of manic, hypomanic, and depressive episodes are described below, as well as the similarities and differences between Bipolar I and Bipolar II Disorders. Characteristics of Mania and Hypomania The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (2013) lists…

Part One of Bipolar and Related Disorders Part One of Bipolar and Related Disorders covers specifiers.  Specifiers are used to further define the characteristics that accompany a mental health diagnosis.  Due to the polar nature (depression and mania) of Bipolar and Related Disorders, there are several options to specify an individual’s diagnosis.  These specifiers are…

What classifies a disorder as Bipolar? Bipolar refers to two poles, or opposite ends of a spectrum.  One end of the pole is mania.  This is an elevated mood where an individual is described as “up”.  Depression is on the other end of the pole.  Having a depressed mood or loss of interest in activities…

Part Three of Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders will cover Catatonia Associated With Another Mental Disorder (Catatonia Specifier), Catatonic Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition, and Delusional Disorder. Click HERE to read the Introduction to Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders, which gives definitions to important terms and an overview of the disorders within…

Part Two of Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders will cover Brief Psychotic Disorder, Psychotic Disorder Due to Another Medical Condition, and Substance/Medication-Induced Psychotic Disorder. Click HERE to read the introduction to this blog series, Mental Health Diagnoses!, which covers how diagnosis using the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual- 5 (DSM-5) works.  What is Psychosis? The…

Part One of the Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders covers the disorders on the Schizophrenia Spectrum.  Schizoaffective Disorder, Schizophrenia, Schizophreniform Disorder, and Schizotypal Disorder (which is technically a personality disorder) are described below. Click HERE if you missed the Introduction to Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders or click HERE if you would like…

What classifies a disorder as a form of Schizophrenia or another Psychotic Disorder? Schizophrenia and psychosis are more complicated than a person simply hearing voices.  The fifth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders lists five domains that characterize Schizophrenia Spectrum and Other Psychotic Disorders.  They are as follows:  “delusions; hallucinations; disorganized…