This blog post was written by Associate Marriage and Family Therapist Mark Resch. He has looked at a recent paper about the overlapping symptoms in mental health diagnosis. This study aimed to map the repetition of symptoms across diagnoses in the DSM-5. The researchers looked at the 202 diagnoses in the adult psychopathology section of the DSM-5 and identified 1,419 symptoms. They found that 231 of these symptoms were repeated across multiple diagnoses, while the remaining 1,188 were unique to a single diagnosis.
These overlapping symptoms in mental health diagnoses can make it challenging for mental health professionals to accurately diagnose people and may have consequences for their treatment. By better understanding the extent of symptom overlap in the DSM-5, researchers can work towards improving the diagnostic process and developing more effective treatments.
Overlapping Symptoms in Mental Health Diagnoses: A Fresh Perspective
by Mark Resch
Seeking therapy can be a daunting experience. You’re not alone if you feel overwhelmed by the different diagnoses and treatment options available, unsure of where to turn or who to trust. That’s why I want to take a moment to discuss a recent paper that has caught the attention of the mental health community and explore its findings and implications for individuals like you who are seeking therapy.
The Importance of Accurate Diagnosis
Diagnoses are vital tools for therapists to effectively communicate with clients, colleagues, healthcare professionals, and insurance companies. The paper, titled “Elementary Psychopathology: Distilling, constituent symptoms and their patterns of repetition in the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5,” cautions that the repetition of symptoms across various diagnoses may reduce the accuracy of specific diagnoses. The uncertainty arising from repeating symptoms can affect our understanding of the causes, treatment planning, and predicting outcomes for different mental health conditions.
Overlapping Symptoms and Their Implications
A striking finding is that non-unique symptoms account for 72% of all symptoms listed in the diagnostic criteria. In fact, every symptom of every diagnosis in the Bipolar and Related Disorders chapter of the DSM-5 is repeated in other chapters (Forbes, et al, 2023).
Furthermore, 10 of the top 15 most frequently repeating diagnostic criteria are symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The authors suggest that, instead of treating MDD as a separate entity, its symptoms might better be considered as psychological responses to stress, similar to fever as a medical symptom reflecting an inflammatory response to infection or stress across various diagnostic categories.
Similarly, symptoms like insomnia, difficulty concentrating, and irritability, which are the most frequently repeating symptoms, might simply be different expressions of the distress and impairment associated with most mental health diagnoses. The repetition of these common symptoms likely indicates that they can’t by themselves effectively differentiate or identify a coherent syndrome with specific causes, mechanisms, or treatment needs.
Conclusion
This paper emphasizes the importance of continuously reevaluating diagnostic criteria and understanding the overlap of symptoms within families of mental health disorders and across chapters in the DSM. More specific diagnostic criteria can contribute to a nuanced approach to diagnosis, treatment, and communication in the mental health field. Ultimately, these insights benefit both therapists and their clients, helping those seeking therapy take the next step toward finding the most appropriate support for their individual needs.
Our therapists don’t look at you and see a diagnosis – they see a human. Would you like to work with Mark Resch or another of our therapists? Contact us today!
Reference:
Forbes, M. K., Neo, B., Nezami, O. M., Fried, E. I., Faure, K., Michelsen, B., … Dras, M. (2023, March 21). Elemental psychopathology: Distilling constituent symptoms and patterns of repetition in the diagnostic criteria of the DSM-5. https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/u56p2