Mood Disorders & Bipolar Disorder & The DSM.

Mental health disorders represent a significant area of concern within contemporary psychological and psychiatric practice, requiring careful understanding, accurate classification, and effective intervention. Establishing what constitutes a mental disorder is essential for clinicians, researchers, and service users alike, as it provides the foundation for assessment, diagnosis, and treatment. The American Psychiatric Association (2013) offers a widely accepted definition that emphasises the presence of clinically significant disturbances in cognition, emotional regulation, or behaviour, while also recognising the importance of cultural context and normal responses to life stressors. Clinicians must therefore be able to describe, classify, and diagnose an individual’s difficulties in a manner that is both scientifically grounded and ethically informed. This paper will examine how the processes of assessment, diagnosis, and treatment unfold in clinical practice, with particular attention given to bipolar disorders.