The Psychology Podcast Colin DeYoung || Rethinking Mental Illness
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Aug 9, 2021 
Colin DeYoung, a psychology professor at the University of Minnesota, is known for his work on personality and psychopathology. In this discussion, he critiques the DSM-5 and advocates for a dimensional model of mental health. DeYoung explores the link between personality traits and mental illness, emphasizing the need for personalized approaches rather than rigid categories. He also touches on neurodiversity and the importance of recognizing individual goals in mental health, suggesting non-pharmacological interventions for better well-being.
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Defining Mental Illness
- Mental illness is often approached as a collection of specific disorders rather than a general concept.
- This leads to a focus on defining individual illnesses like schizophrenia, instead of mental illness itself.
Psychiatry and Psychological Theories
- Psychiatry has not widely adopted psychological theories of mental illness.
- This is surprising, considering the potential impact of such theories.
The Blood Pressure Analogy
- High blood pressure exists on a spectrum, and the diagnosis of hypertension uses an arbitrary threshold.
- This analogy demonstrates how a real phenomenon can involve social construction in diagnosis.