Psychological disorders can be classified into various categories depending on the nature of the disorder, the severity of the symptoms, and the outcome. Classification of a psychological disorder helps in the determining the diagnosis, treatment, and the prognosis of the disorder. Several elements of the mental disorder need to be taken into consideration to classify it including the nature of the abnormality, the limitations to the disability, and the nature of harm caused to self or others (Web 4 Health 2008).
Currently there are two widely utilized systems to classify mental disorders including the International Classification of Diseases 10th edition (ICD-10) which is published by the WHO and the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental diseases, IV edition, Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR). The ICD-10 system is basically utilized in general epidemiology and management of the health systems, whereas the DSM-IV-TR is utilized as guidelines fro diagnosis and differential diagnosis of several mental disorders (Web 4 Health 2008).
The ICD-10 List includes 10 major categories of mental disorders:- 1. F0 Organic, including symptomatic, mental disorders – dementia, vascular dementia, organic amnesia, etc 2. F1 Mental and behavioral disorders due to use of psychoactive substances – intoxication, withdrawal, psychotic disorder, amnesic syndrome, others (with use of alcohol, opioids, cocaine, sedatives, etc) 3. F2 Schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders – schizoid disorder, paranoid schizophrenia, etc
4. F3 Mood [affective] disorders – manic episode, bipolar disorder, etc 5. F4 Neurotic, stress-related and somatoform disorders – phobic disorders, acute stress reaction, fugue, etc 6. F5 Behavioral syndromes associated with physiological disturbances and physical factors – eating disorders, sleepwalking, nightmares, etc 7. F6 Disorders of personality and behavior in adult persons – paranoid personality disorder, borderline personality disorder, etc 8.
F7 Mental retardation – mild, moderate, profound, unspecified, others 9. F8 Disorders of psychological development – expressive language disorder, lisping, developmental dyslexia 10. F9 Behavioral and emotional disorders with onset usually occurring in childhood and adolescence – conduct disorder, Tic disorders, emotional disorders, mixed disorders, etc 11. F99 Unspecified Mental disorder – not specified or categorized in the other groups (The ICD-10 List,WHO). References Global Oneness (2008).
ICD-10 Chapter F: Mental and behavioural disorders – F00-F99 – Mental and behavioural disorders, Retrieved on January 10, 2009, from Experience Festival Web site: http://www. experiencefestival. com/a/ICD-10_Chapter_F_Mental_and_behavioural_disorders_-_F00-F99_-_Mental_and_behavioural_disorders/id/1491769 Web 4 Health (2008). Mental Disorders and classification of mental disorders (ICD-10, DSM-IV), Retrieved on January 10, 2009, from Web 4 Health Web site: http://web4health. info/en/answers/psy-icddsm-what. htm