I’m hoping that one of you might have run across something like this in your internet journeys.
For a story I’m working on, I need an online generator that will allow me to check off mental illness symptoms and return potential diagnosis. Like a choose-your-own disorder. Has anyone seen anything like that?
Given the complexity of DSMV-IV criteria for diagnostics…I doubt you’ll find one Mental Illness Calculator to rule them all. There are individual rating thingies for particular illnesses such as an Aspergers or depression or potential bi-polar types—but nothing that would be a rate it all kind of thing.
I’ve seen a limited number of diagnostic decision-tree learning tools (for pay, on the websites of textbook companies), but in general these are narrow: e.g., begin with someone talking incoherently, walk through questions like “Has subject hit his head? Does subject have a brain tumor? Any recent episodes of painting with inadequate ventilation??” to show how not every “insanity” is automatically schizophrenia.
The trouble, as Jeff says, is that diagnostic criteria are detailed and complicated, and probably 50% of any given symptom list applies to 80% of the possible diagnoses (things like loss of appetite, or distracted or inappropriate affect, just apply to a lot of disorders). Probably your best bet for a “generator” is to talk with someone who knows the DSM-IV well, and has a good idea what you are looking for, and can make recommendations. (They can also help de-sterotype whatever you end up going with, as I’ve read my fair share of fiction that reads as if the author had the diagnostic checklist in hand while writing.)
Hm. What I was looking for was something to give me a range of possibilities so that I could read about them before having to bug a doctor for details and double-checking.
If you want to spitball with somebody who used to edit psychology textbooks, and see what I can come up with, go ahead and send me an email. (I presume you’d rather not do it in public.)
Thanks, I might take you up on that. I’m attending a workshop in which one of the criteria is to not discuss the stories with other participants and since we’re all reading one another’s websites…
The DSMV-IV is very propriatary about it’s information and the chance of finding it on a easy online genorator is probably nill. I was very supprised they didn’t offer it on cd-rom. The thing is the size of a telephone book.
My wife is a phyciatric counsler and I got a bit of an education while she worked on her degree.
She says diagnosis is a bit of a art. At one point while she was taking classes in diagnosis, she was explaining the complexity of the diagnosis, as patiants would display symptons that could be applied to several diagnosis. There isn’t anything equvilant to a simple blood test that says one diagnosis such as a doctor is able to identify diabetes. Most people display a variety symptoms from different diagnoses.
After listening to her talk about it, I came up with a simplistic metaphor. It’s like looking at a plaid shirt. From a distance it’s one color (diagnosis) as you get closer you see the various colors (symptons)in the pattern. You can still call it a yellow plaid shirt, only it really has other minor colors in it.
After listening to the case histories from her classes and text books, it became apparent that the human mind is varied and wonderful roller coaster ride. You could pick your main diagnosis and spice it with your choice of minor symptons. Outside of some online mental illness suport groups,you’re probably gon’na have to hit the stacks.
I had her revue the first part of what I’ve written and the responses ahead of me. She really didn’t have anything more to add.
The DSM-IV-TR® *The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders* has a series of decision trees in Appendix A: “Decision Trees for Differential Diagnosis”. The decision trees themselves seem to cover the major ranges — everything from disorders due to general medical problems to mood disorders, anxiety disorders, etc.
Is that the sort of thing you’re looking for?
Psychiatry Online seems to have the full text of the manual, etc. available online for $$. I did note, somewhere, that you can buy access to the site (including the decision trees) for just 24 or 48 hours, in addition to their longer subscriptions.
Thank you! I think this might be the ticket.