Classification of Psychiatric Disorders

In this article, we will discuss the Classification of Psychiatric Disorders. So, let’s get started.

Classification of Psychiatric Disorders

Traditional Classification of Disorder

There are four general categories:
• Brain syndromes: Due to damage of brain tissue. It may be reversible or irreversible.
• Psychosis: These are several disorders in which the individual perception of reality is distorted and psychological functioning is disorganized.e.g., delusions (false belief), hallucinations (schizophrenic of paranoid disorder).
• Neurosis: These are mild disorders in which individual perception of reality is not grossly impaired. They are mainly due to internal conflicts and anxiety. e.g., anxiety disorder.
• Personality disorders: It is long standing maladaptive personality patterns. It affects the relationships, e.g., mistrust on others, antisocial behaviour, loneliness.

Current Classification

1. Two categories: Clinical syndromes & personality disorders.

2. Mental and Behavioural Disorders (ICD Classification): The International Classification of Diseases (ICD) is an international standard diagnostic classification for a wide variety of health conditions. Chapter V focuses on “mental and behavioural disorders” and consists of 10 main groups:
• FO: Sexual including trauma, mental disorders
• F1: Mental and behavioural disorders due to use of psychoactive substances
• F2: Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders
• F3: Mood (affective) disorders
• F4: Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders
• F5: Behavioural syndromes associated with physiological disturbances and physical factors
• F6: Disorders of personality and behaviour in adult persons
• F7: Mental retardation
• F8: Disorders of psychological development
• F9: Behavioural and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence
• In addition, a group of unspecified mental disorders”.

3. Mental and Behavioural Disorders (the DSM-IV-TR, Text Revision, 2000): The DSM-IV-TR (Text Revision, 2000) consists of five axes (domains) on which disorder can be assessed. The five axes are:
• Axis I: Clinical Disorders (all mental disorders except Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation)
• Axis II: Personality Disorders and Mental Retardation
• Axis III: General Medical Conditions (must be connected to a Mental Disorder)
• Axis IV: Psychosocial and Environmental Problems (e.g., limited social support network)
• Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning (Psychological, social and job-related functions are evaluated on a continuum between mental health and extreme mental disorder)