New Psychological Disorders Added to the DSM-5

By Kellie McClain

With the American Psychiatric Association’s newest version of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders recent release in May 2013, also known as the DSM 5, there have been several changes to already excising disorders as well as the creation of new disorders with the intent of diagnosing patients with more specific disorders instead of generalizing. The release of the DSM 5 includes the creation of fifteen new psychological disorders. These disorders include:

1. Social (Pragmatic) Communication Disorder: This is a new condition dealing with persistent difficulties in the social uses of verbal and nonverbal communication. The addition of this disorder helps doctors to more precisely diagnose individuals with communication problems that are unrelated to Autism or cognitive ability.
2. Disruptive Mood Dysregulation Disorder: Limited to children under 18, this disorder would be diagnosed to children who have reoccurring outburst of anger or show frequent signs of lack of control of their behavior. This is a type of depressive disorder that has been created in order to address concerns about potential overdiagnosis and overtreat­ment of bipolar disorder in children.
3. Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder: The DSM 4 has included this disorder, which includes symptoms caused by women’s premenstrual cycle, in the Appendix B stating that it needed further study. Some critics argue that this disorder will cause further discrimination against women or lead to women using common symptoms to be diagnosed with an official disorder.
4. Hoarding Disorder: Rather than having hoarding be listed simply as a symptom for obsessive-compulsive personality disorder, such as in the DSM 4, the DSM 5 lists hoarding as a disorder in itself. Reasoning behind making hoarding into a separate disorder I because hoarding is believed to have unique neurobiological correlates and may respond to clinical intervention.
5. Caffeine Withdrawal: The DSM 4 has included this disorder, which includes symptoms caused by an increase dependence on caffeine, in the Appendix B stating that it needed further study. Psychiatrists worry that since symptoms in this disorder such as headaches and sleep disturbances are very broad and may be misdiagnosed as Caffeine Withdrawal when they could be resulting from other severe disorders or past experiences.
6. Cannabis Withdrawal: The addition of this disorder has been made mainly because marijuana has become increasingly more available nationwide. Researchers claim that symptoms brought on by this disorder are significant enough to interfere with people ability to function normally.
7. Excoriation Disorder: As sub category of Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder, the Excoriation Disorder has been added to the DSM 5 to give individuals that show symptoms of chronic and obsessive picking and scratching of one’s skin a specific diagnosis.
8. Binge Eating Disorder: This disorder is the only change to the DSM 5 that is under the criteria of bulimia nervosa. The addition of this disorder is partly to raise awareness of the effects of increased cases of obesity in recent decades and the substantial differences between binge eating and overeating.
9. Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder: In DSM-IV, Rapid Eye Movement Sleep Behavior Disorder was included under dyssomnia not otherwise specified. This disorder causes individuals to act within their dream with full memory of their actions. Their full diagnostic status is supported by research evidence.
10. Restless Legs Syndrome: In DSM-IV, Restless Legs Syndrome was included under dyssomnia not otherwise specified. By adding this as its own disorder into the DSM, psychiatrists believe that better treatment can be prescribed that will be tailored to the specifics of the disorder. Their full diagnostic status is supported by research evidence.
11. Major Neurocognitive Disorder: The addition of this disease helps to expend the category of dementia and helps psychiatrists to distinguish between different levels of its severity.
12. Mild Neurocognitive Disorder: The addition of this disease helps to expend the category of dementia and helps psychiatrists to distinguish between different levels of its severity. Although Mild NCD is new to DSM 5, it has been previously existent in other fields of medicine and withholds similar care and research.
13. Disinhibited Social Engagement Disorder: This disorder is considered a subtype of Reactive Attachment Disorder and results from social neglect or other situations that limit a young child’s opportunity to form selective attachments. It is considered separate from reactive attachment because it more closely resembles ADHD and is not as closely associated with internalized disorders.
14. Central Sleep Apnea: Research and knowledge has expanded regarding sleep disorders since the release of DSM 4, causing the press for additional disorders regarding sleep to be added to the DSM 5. These specific disorders have more relevance to treatment planning.
15. Sleep-Related Hypoventilation: Research and knowledge has expanded regarding sleep disorders since the release of DSM 4, causing the press for additional disorders regarding sleep to be added to the DSM 5. These specific disorders have more relevance to treatment planning.

There has been some controversy over whether these disorders hold up as truly separate illnesses and some doctors believe that a majority of these disorders are illegitimate and cannot be scientifically studied. Some have expressed concern that the new DSM 5 will lead to over-diagnosis and over-medication that can be dangerous and scientifically unsound.

References: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2013/05/22/american-psychiatry-needs-to-move-beyond-american-psychiatric-association-dsm-5-1643647435/

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/15-new-mental-illnesses-in-the-dsm-5-2013-05-22

http://www.dsm5.org/Documents/changes%20from%20dsm-iv-tr%20to%20dsm-5.pdf