isorder (OCD). Major depression is the leading cause of disability in the United States. Approximately 18.8 million people are affected by major depression each year. The average age of onset is the mid-twenties. Depressive disorders usually coexist with substance abuse and anxiety disorders. Mood disorders are most commonly associated with depression. Symptoms of mood disorders are irritability, social withdrawal and the idealization of suicide. Bipolar disorder affects 2.3 million people each year in the United States. The average age of the first manic episode is when the person is in their early twenties. Schizophrenia affects 2.2 million people each year. The earliest signs of schizophrenia are exhibited between the late teens and early thirties. Alterations in perception and thought processes are more commonly associated with schizophrenia. This can include disorganized thought and hallucinations. Obsessive-compulsive disorder affects 3.3 million adults each year. However, it is more prevalent among adolescents. The first signs of OCD begin during childhood or adolescents. OCD is most commonly associated with anxiety disorders. The diagnosis of mental disorders is very difficult. There are very few tests that can be performed that give definitive results. For a symptom to be declared a mental illness must meet three criteria. These are “reports of the intensity and duration of symptoms, signs from their mental status examination, and clinician observation of their behavior including functional impairment.” (Shalala, ch 2). The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition (DSM-IV) is widely used in the United States to diagnose mental disorders. The manual organizes mental disorders into 16 different classes that are used for diagnosis. Within each diagnostic class there are specific criteria that are used to make an appropriate diagnosis. One unique aspect of The Diagno...
