Problem:
The DSM desperately needs consistent procedures and criteria, along with clinical input for "close but not quite" cases and additional symptom presentations that don't fit neatly into existing categories. Without that, it's too easy to overlook nuance or overextend definitions. If we want diagnostic accuracy, we also need better data and infrastructure. I think we should have a national, de-identified symptom database that clinicians can contribute to (with patient consent) so we can track overlaps between mental and physical health. Heart issues, high blood pressure, and stress, for instance, all show the interaction between the nervous system and the body. Collecting this kind of data could strengthen diagnostic validity and help prevent misdiagnosis. This lack of structure seems to feed directly into one of the biggest challenges with the categorical model: overmedicalization and the debate on what behaviors constitute a diagnosable condition. We also tend to use this surface level view to overlook the root causes of behaviors or challenges, missing the deeper issues. For example, my daughter was diagnosed with ADHD and ODD at the end of kindergarten, I later realized her defiance wasn't pathological, it was emotional dysregulation. How do we distinguish between these issues and what is considered diagnosable? Would a neurobiological shift alleviate these concerns? Are there other measures that need to be considered? Need Assignment Help?