In 2013 the American Psychiatric Association published the 5th edition of its Diagnostic and
Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5). Often referred to as the bible of psychiatry
the manual only classifies mental disorders and does not explain them or guide their treatment.
While science should be the basis of any diagnostic system to date there is no knowledge on
whether most conditions listed in the manual are true diseases. Moreover in DSM-5 the overall
definition of mental disorder is weak failing to distinguish psychopathology from normality.
In spite of all the progress that has been made in neuroscience over the last few decades the
psychiatric community is no closer to understanding the etiology and pathogenesis of mental
disorders than it was fifty years ago. In Making the DSM-5 prominent experts delve into the
debate about psychiatric nosology and examine the conceptual and pragmatic issues underlying
the new manual. While retracing the historic controversy over DSM considering the political
context and economic impact of the manual and focusing on what was revised or left unchanged
in the new edition this timely volume addresses the main concerns of the future of psychiatry
and questions whether the DSM legacy can truly improve the specialty and advance its goals.
