CarePathHealth
Diagnosis of Mental Health Disorders
Mental Illness and Suicide Ideation
If you experience symptoms of a mental illness, try to see a healthcare provider or mental health professional as soon as you can. It is estimated that 46% of people who die by suicide have a diagnosed mental health condition and 90% of individuals who die by suicide have experienced symptoms of a mental health condition
There are many treatment options for mental illnesses. A prompt diagnosis can lead to significant improvements in your quality of life.
Doctors and other mental health professionals diagnose mental illness by using the criteria outlined in the DSM-5. Many conditions require all criteria to be met before a diagnosis can be made. Others, like borderline personality disorder, require only a set number of criteria from a larger list to be met.
Many disorders are further classified by severity and specifications that can help doctors determine the appropriate course of treatment for an individual patient. For example, someone being diagnosed with OCD will also be categorized based on their level of insight as to whether their OCD-related beliefs are true and whether or not they present with a current or past history of a tic disorder.
It is common for people to have more than one mental illness at a time. By some estimates, about half of people with one mental illness have a comorbid (co-occurring) substance use disorder present at the same time or sequentially.
As such, the likelihood of a mental health and substance use disorder dual diagnosis is high. This may be due to common risk factors and the fact that having one condition predisposes a person to the other.
Other common comorbidity examples include:
- Borderline personality disorder: Major depressive disorders, bipolar disorders, anxiety disorders, and eating disorders
- Social anxiety disorder: Other anxiety disorders, major depressive disorders, and alcohol use disorder
- Eating disorders: Anxiety disorders, substance use disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder, depressive disorders, and post-traumatic stress disorder
Primary care physicians and mental health professionals should work together because a diagnosis as defined by the DSM-5 requires exclusion of other possible causes, including physical causes and other mental disorders with similar features. For example, paranoid delusions in older adults can be caused by Huntington’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, strokes, Alzheimer’s disease, and other forms of dementia.
CarePath is a compassionate psychiatric outpatient clinic dedicated to guiding individuals towards lasting mental wellness. We provide personalized, evidence-based care for adults, adolescents and families facing challenges such as anxiety, depression, mood disorders, trauma, and more.
