Glossary of Common Psychiatric Disorders
| Author | Michael Butler |
| Pages | 297-304 |
Appendix 2
Glossary of Common Psychiatric Disorders
The following definitions of some commonly encountered mental disorders are taken from the World Health Organisation’s International Classification of Diseases, Version 2010 (ICD-10). The references in brackets are the classification of the disorders, as per Chapter 5 of the ICD-10.
Anorexia nervosa (F50.0)
A disorder characterised by deliberate weight loss, induced and sustained by the patient. It occurs most commonly in adolescent girls and young women, but adolescent boys and young men may also be affected, as may children approaching puberty and older women up to the menopause. The disorder is associated with a specific psychopathology whereby a dread of fatness and flabbiness of body contour persists as an intrusive overvalued idea, and the patients impose a low weight threshold on themselves. There is usually under-nutrition of varying severity with secondary endocrine and metabolic changes and disturbances of bodily function. The symptoms include restricted dietary choice, excessive exercise, induced vomiting and purgation, and use of appetite suppressants and diuretics.
Autism (childhood) (F84.0)
A type of pervasive developmental disorder that is defined by:
(a) the presence of abnormal or impaired development that is manifest before the age of 3; and
(b) the characteristic type of abnormal functioning in all the three areas of psychopathology: reciprocal social interaction, communication, and restricted, stereotyped, repetitive behaviour.
298 A Practitioner’s Guide to Mental Health Law
In addition to these specific diagnostic features, a range of other non-specific problems are common, such as phobias, sleeping and eating disturbances, temper tantrums, and (self-directed) aggression.
Autism (atypical) (F84.1)
A type of pervasive developmental disorder that differs from childhood autism either in age of onset or in failing to fulfil all three sets of diagnostic criteria. This subcategory should be used when there is abnormal and impaired development that is present only after the age of 3, and a lack of sufficient demonstrable abnormalities in one or two of the three areas of psychopathology required for the diagnosis of autism (namely, reciprocal social interactions, communication, and restricted, stereotyped, repetitive behaviour) in spite of characteristic abnormalities in the other area(s). Atypical autism arises most often in profoundly retarded individuals and in individuals with a severe specific developmental disorder of receptive language.
Asperger syndrome (F84.5)
A disorder of uncertain nosological validity, characterised by the same type of qualitative abnormalities of reciprocal social interaction that typify autism, together with a restricted, stereotyped, repetitive repertoire of interests and activities. It differs from autism primarily in the fact that there is no general delay or retardation in language or in cognitive development. This disorder is often associated with marked clumsiness. There is a strong tendency for the abnormalities to persist into adolescence and adult life. Psychotic episodes occasionally occur in early adult life.
Bipolar affective disorder (F31)
A disorder characterised by two or more episodes in which the patient’s mood and activity levels are significantly disturbed, this disturbance consisting on some occasions of an elevation of mood and increased energy and activity (hypomania or mania) and on others of a lowering of mood and decreased energy and activity (depression). Repeated episodes of hypomania or mania only are classified as bipolar.
Conduct disorders (F91)
Disorders characterised by a repetitive and persistent pattern of dissocial, aggressive, or defiant conduct. Such behaviour should amount to major
violations of age-appropriate social expectations; it should, therefore, be more severe than ordinary childish mischief or adolescent rebelliousness and should imply an enduring pattern of behaviour (6 months or longer). Features of conduct disorder can also be...
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