Final answer:
There is debate over the DSM's categorization of mental disorders, with some arguing it over-medicalizes normal behaviors into diagnoses. Ongoing disagreements and research contribute to changes and discussions on its development.
Step-by-step explanation:
Some people have critical perspectives on the development and use of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). The DSM is commonly used by clinicians and researchers to diagnose and classify mental disorders. Throughout its evolution from DSM-III to the current DSM-5, the manual has continued to provoke debate regarding its categorization of mental disorders, cultural and gender sensitivity, and the pathologizing of everyday behaviors.
While it is an essential tool for the diagnosis of psychological conditions, including substance use disorders and personality disorders, some argue that the DSM over-medicalizes normal human experiences into mental illness diagnoses. The proposed changes in the DSM-5, such as the revision of personality disorder categories, illustrate ongoing disagreements and discussions among professionals about the best ways to understand and categorize mental health issues.
Furthermore, studies like those from the National Comorbidity Survey Replication contribute to the dynamic discourse by providing empirical evidence that informs revisions of the DSM.