What is the primary information source for diagnosing mental illness?

The correct answer is the DSM-5, which stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition. This manual serves as a comprehensive guide for the classification of mental disorders and is widely used by mental health professionals to diagnose and assess mental illnesses. It provides standardized criteria for diagnosis, ensuring that mental health conditions are defined consistently across clinicians, which helps to ensure accurate communication and treatment planning.

The DSM-5 includes detailed descriptions of various mental disorders, including their symptoms, risk factors, and common treatment options. This level of detail makes it a primary tool for diagnosing mental illnesses in clinical settings, allowing professionals to make informed decisions based on an established framework.

While patient history, clinical observations, and the ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, Tenth Revision) are essential components of the diagnostic process and provide valuable information about an individual's mental health, they do not serve as the central standardized reference for diagnosing mental disorders like the DSM-5 does. Instead, they complement the information provided by the DSM-5 in the overall assessment and management of mental health conditions.