In the US, one of the biggest ongoing stories in mental health has been the proposed revision of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM). As the main guide used by psychiatrists, psychologists, and social workers in the U.S. to diagnose mental illness, the DSM is an important document.
Interestingly, the former Mood Disorders chapter is now divided into two sections: Depressive Disorders and Bipolar and Related Disorders. An interesting distinction to make, but does this make practical sense? Although I’m not a clinician, it would seem to me that there is often a considerable, and complicated overlap between depression and bipolar disorder. So, is this a case of well meaning, but misplaced oversimplification? Or does it matter in practice?
You can make up your own mind by reading the whole NAMI article here: NAMI | The Proposed DSM-5: Alterations and Altercations.
An Uneasy Awakening: Bipolar Musings 