REVISING THE DSM-IV INTO THE DSM-V.

There are high stakes here – a DSM-sanctioned diagnosis can make a huge difference in treatment, insurance coverage, and perception of a disorder. But these are not easy decisions to make: “Some psychiatrists warn that the tome runs the risk of medicalizing the normal range of human behaviors; others vehemently argue that it must be broad enough to guide treatment of those who need it.” Homosexuality was listed as a disorder in the second edition; one of the issues that has been discussed for the fifth edition is whether bitterness could be considered a mental disorder.

The process — which has been particularly iffy this time around — makes one doubt how much substance is there, as opposed to faddish opinion.