Categorical diagnosis in psychiatry has been criticised in the past for lacking a good theoretical or biological underpinning.2 Some have argued that diagnosis in psychiatry will benefit from more accurate and more specific categories of diagnosis.2 To that end, the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM) includes course specifiers to help refine an individual diagnosis.1,2
References:
1. American Psychiatric Association (APA). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. Fifth edition, text revision. Washington DC: APA; 2022.
2. Colom F, Vieta E, Suppes T. Predominant polarity in bipolar disorders: refining or redefining diagnosis? Acta Psychiatr Scand 2015; 132 (5): 324–326.