The Classification and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Concerns: A Proposed Practical Scientific Alternative to the DSM and ICD

Abstract

The Classification and Statistical Manual of Mental Health Concerns (CSM) is a proposed alternative to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and International Classification of Diseases (ICD). In contrast to the DSM/ICD overarching concept of “mental disorders,” the CSM’s overarching concept is “mental health concerns.” A mental health concern occurs when a person seeking mental health services expresses to a mental health service provider a concern about any of these topics: behavior, emotion, mood, meaning of life, death, dying, managing chronic pain, addiction, work, relationships, education, eating, cognition, sleep, and challenging life situations. The CSM begins from the perspective of the person seeking services and that is what would be classified in its manual. In addition to classifying mental health concerns, the CSM would describe a collaborative approach between the person expressing the concern and the mental health service provider for creating a psychological formulation narrative that eschews the DSM/ICD pathologizing jargon. Compared with the DSM/ICD approach, the use of the CSM potentially would be less stigmatizing, as well as more practical. Moreover, it would be more consistent with principles of science, eliminate the monopoly of the DSM/ICD mental disorder approach for accessing mental health services, provide a new choice to both mental health service users and providers, challenge old ideas, stimulate fresh perspectives, and open new avenues of research.