| Summary: | For any of the mental disorders or conditions that we've explored in this series, there can be innumerable influences surrounding the onset, persistence and treatment of symptoms. These can be biological, environmental, situational or some combination of these. While the two diagnostic guidelines we've explored in this series--the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, or DSM, and the International Classification of Diseases, or ICD--avoid delving too deeply into the elements of causation or treatment in their diagnostic models, it is still important for a clinician to acknowledge the factors that might influence an individual's mental disorder, be they causal, or ones that could affect the course or treatment of the disorder.Whether this is used to communicate to insurance companies or other health care providers, or simply for the clinician's own use or records, noting these factors can help the clinician describe a more complete, and therefore accurate picture of the patient and disorder.
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