What quaifies something as a psychological disorder?

Answer 1

You don't always have to have a disorder to see a psychologist or psychiatrist. I went to one 3 years ago because my mother was acting very strange towards me (I didn't realize she had Dementia and she was 70 when she started to really mistreat me) and I had to make the decision to stay away from me. I was riddled with guilt because this wasn't normal to me and before this my mother and I always got along together and did a lot of things together. I really didn't want to discuss it with friends (sometimes they have a tendency to tell another friend) as it was very personal to me, so I used the expertise of the psychologist who helped me put things into perspective and give me some tools to live with. People that are depressed; suicidal; feelings of numbness towards them self and others; doing drugs too much (including street drugs and alcohol); fighting with their partner too much; go into fits of anger over nothing that important; have feelings of low self-esteem. The list goes on and on. If you aren't sure then go to a psychologist (they treat the human aspect of things and can't prescribe medications) whereas Psychiatrists take more schooling in medications and less in human reactions. You may just need a "kick start" as I call it. We work on our bodies and tune it up and we should do that with our minds as well. Sometimes we can discuss it with a Priest, Minister, good friend or family member, but sometimes we just feel we need the advice from someone that isn't involved in the problem.

Answer 2

A psychological disorder is characterized by clinically significant disturbances in thoughts, emotions, or behaviors that cause distress or impairment in functioning. These disturbances are typically associated with distress, dysfunction, or impairment in social, occupational, or other important areas of functioning. A formal diagnosis is made using criteria outlined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5).