WHO Sets New Diagnostic Guidelines for Mental and Neurodevelopmental Disorders

The World Health Organization (WHO) has released a new, complete diagnostic guide for mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders called the clinical descriptions and Diagnostic Requirements for ICD-11 Mental, behavioral, and Neurodevelopmental Disorders (ICD-11 CDDR).

“Accurate diagnosis is often the first important step toward proper care and treatment. This new ICD-11 diagnostic manual helps clinicians identify and diagnose mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders, ensuring more people get the quality care and treatment they need, ” said the Director of, the Mental Health and Substance Use Department, World Health Organization.

Advancing Mental Health Care through Comprehensive Guideline

This manual is intended to assist licensed mental health professionals and other health care professionals in recognizing and diagnosing mental, behavioral, and neurodevelopmental disorders in clinical practice. It’s created based on the latest scientific research and best clinical practices.

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The following characteristics of the updated diagnostic guidelines, which take into account the ICD-11 changes, are present:

1. Advice on diagnosing several recently additional ICD-11 categories, such as gaming disorder, and complicated post-traumatic stress disorder. This makes it possible to provide health practitioners with better support so they can identify the unique clinical aspects of these conditions, which may not have been diagnosed or treated in the past.
2. Using a lifelong approach to the treatment of mental, behavioral, and neurological disorders. Considering how the disorder manifests in childhood, adolescence, and old age.
3. Giving each disorder advice that takes into account cultural factors, such as how a disorder’s presentation may vary systematically depending on one’s cultural background.
4. The use of dimensional techniques, such as those used in the treatment of personality disorders, takes into account the fact that different symptoms and disorders are related to normal functioning.

ICD-11 CDDRs include mental health professionals and qualified non-specialist health professionals, such as general practitioners, who are responsible for assigning these diagnoses in clinical practice, as well as clinical and non-clinical roles such as: Intended for other medical professionals.

Thousands of physicians worldwide, together with hundreds of experts, participated in a rigorous, multidisciplinary process that resulted in the development and field testing of the ICD-11 CDDR.

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Prevent work-related mental health conditions

Preventing mental health disorders at work involves managing psycho-social risks in the workplace. Employers are advised by WHO to conduct organizational initiatives that directly address working conditions and surroundings. Organizational interventions examine, reduce, change, or eliminate workplace mental health concerns. Organizational interventions may include providing flexible working arrangements or implementing frameworks to address workplace violence and harassment.

Counselor Burnout Prevention

1. Maintain a healthy work/life balance: Ensure that an equal number of hours spent on meaningful relaxation compensates for the amount of time individuals spend at work, regardless of whether they are in therapy or not.
2. Adhere to a holistic self-care strategy that addresses your physical, social, emotional, mental, spiritual, and occupational wellness.
3. Seek out and use available resources: These can include both material sources like self-care training and human resources like friends, family, and personal therapy. Expert guidance can also provide valuable input on burnout symptoms.
4. Use individual counseling as needed: Don’t think that just because you’re a counselor means you don’t need counseling yourself. Counselors are individuals, too.

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Prevention starts with recognizing the signs of job burnout. Prevention models have arisen from a range of sources as social workers, counselors, psychology, and medical experts seek effective burnout prevention strategies. Once advisors are aware of the risks and conditions that promote burnout, they must develop strategies to prevent burnout and maintain their health. Each counselor must analyze his or her situation and determine which strategies are effective in promoting overall health.