Articles
Mental health: What's normal, what's not
Why is it so tough to tell what's normal?
What is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM)?
How do mental health providers diagnose mental health conditions?
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What is mental health?
How are mental health disorders defined?
How do mental health professionals diagnose disorders?
When is an evaluation or treatment needed?
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What's the difference between normal mental health and mental disorders? Sometimes the answer is clear, but often the distinction isn't so obvious. For example, if you're afraid of giving a speech in public, does it mean you have a mental health disorder or a run-of-the-mill case of nerves? Or, when does shyness become a case of social phobia?
Here's help understanding how mental health conditions are identified.