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I’m part of the team writing the next bible of psychiatry – for the first time, the DSM will use biology to understand mental disorders

<name>Anand Kumar, Professor and Department Head of Psychiatry, University of Illinois Chicago</name> <foaf:homepage rdf:resource="https://theconversation.com/profiles/anand-kumar-1404830"/>· 26 août 2026

Part of the challenge of finding a biomarker for mental illness is the environment's significant influence. rudall30/iStock via Getty Images Plus The “ bible” of clinical psychiatry – the DSM, short for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders – is one of the most popular psychiatr…

Résumé

DSM's role in psychiatry

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) is widely used by clinicians to diagnose mental health conditions and by researchers to guide studies.

Published by the American Psychiatric Association, it serves as a standard reference for mental health professionals globally.

The most recent edition, DSM-5, released in 2013, has faced criticism for lacking objective biological measures in its diagnostic criteria.

Critics argue that this absence risks treating normal human emotions as mental illnesses and weakens the validity of psychiatric diagnoses.

The DSM is often referred to as the 'bible' of psychiatry due to its authoritative role in shaping how mental disorders are understood and treated.

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