The DSM-5, published by the American Psychiatric Association in 2013, is an essential tool for diagnosing mental disorders, reflecting decades of evolving research since its first edition in 1952. The manual is divided into three sections: an introduction, detailed diagnostic criteria across 20 chapters, and emerging measures and models. Despite its utility, the DSM-5 has faced criticism for reducing diagnostic categories, medicalizing normal behaviours, potential pharmaceutical influence, and a lack of transparency in its revision process. Used globally, often alongside the WHO’s ICD, the DSM-5 remains a crucial yet controversial framework in mental health diagnostics.
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