What techniques do psychiatrists use to diagnose mental illness?
Many of the more common mental disorders have specific behaviors and symptoms associated with them. They are listed in the DSM-IV(R) which might be available on-line or at your local library. Problems can arise with the diagnosis of some of the less common disorders wherein some of the signs and symptoms of the disorder will overlap with some of the other disorders. Making a differential diagnosis with this can be tricky and only is reliable if the psychiatrist has been in the field a while (ten years) and has had the experience with the rarer disorders.
They use an inventory of assessment tools, observation and interview to deduce a preliminary diagnosis; over time the diagnosis gets refined and treatment goals and objectives are tailored to the diagnosis. Actually, they just look at your checking account and your gullibility level and ride you for all you are worth.
