Unspecified Mental Disorder

About Unspecified Mental Disorder

Unspecified mental disorder is a DSM-5 category used when symptoms characteristic of a mental disorder cause clinically significant distress or impairment but do not meet the full criteria for any specific disorder, and the clinician chooses not to specify the reason, often because there is insufficient information to make a more specific diagnosis, such as in emergency settings. DSM-5 also provides other specified and unspecified categories within most chapters, such as unspecified anxiety disorder or other specified feeding or eating disorder. The other specified form is used when the clinician records the specific reason that criteria are not met, while the unspecified form is used when no reason is recorded. These categories replaced the not otherwise specified diagnoses of DSM-IV. They allow people with real and impairing difficulties to receive care even when their symptoms do not fit neatly into established categories, reflecting the fact that mental health symptoms often occur on a spectrum and change over time. Diagnoses in this category are often provisional and may be revised as more information becomes available or as symptoms evolve. Treatment is individualized and based on the specific symptoms present, the level of distress and impairment, and co occurring conditions, and may include psychotherapy, medication, practical support and ongoing assessment.