What is the DSM-5 and ICD-11?

🎙️ Mental health conversations often involve a lot of terms, diagnoses, and classifications — but where do they come from, and why do they matter?

I'm Dominic Lawson, creator of Mental Health Rewritten . Throughout this show, we'll be referencing two major diagnostic tools that shape our understanding of mental and behavioral health:

🔹 DSM-5 (Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition) Published by the American Psychiatric Association, it’s the primary diagnostic guide used by mental health professionals in the United States.

🔹 ICD-11 (International Classification of Diseases, 11th Revision) Developed by the World Health Organization, the ICD-11 classifies all medical conditions worldwide — including mental and behavioral disorders — and is used across many countries for diagnosis, treatment, and insurance coding.

On Mental Health Rewritten , we incorporate both tools to provide a well-rounded, accessible understanding of mental health. When a diagnosis is mentioned during an episode, you’ll hear a special cue — signaling a clear, listener-friendly breakdown of what the diagnosis means, how it's classified, and why it matters.

Because mental health isn't just about definitions — it’s about the people behind them. We’re here to demystify the language of mental health, humanize the diagnoses, and rewrite the narrative together.

🎧 Season 1 launches May 14, 2025.

Subscribe today and join us for real stories, real understanding, and real change.

🔗 Apple Podcasts, Spotify with exclusive content on Instagram (@mentalhealthrewrittenpodcast).

🧠 And always — take care of yourself. You matter.