American Psychiatric Association issues statement on compulsive shopping

There have been a number of erroneous reports in the media indicating that the American Psychiatric Association is planning to add "compulsive shopping disorder" to the list of approved mental disorders. We would like to correct this misinformation. At this time, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has no plans to add compulsive shopping to the list of mental disorders in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), due for publication in 2010. In addition, APA is not altering the current edition, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), to include compulsive shopping as a disorder. From American Psychiatric Association:

American Psychiatric Association issues statement on compulsive shopping

Arlington, Va.-- There have been a number of erroneous reports in the media indicating that the American Psychiatric Association is planning to add "compulsive shopping disorder" to the list of approved mental disorders. We would like to correct this misinformation.

At this time, the American Psychiatric Association (APA) has no plans to add compulsive shopping to the list of mental disorders in the next edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-V), due for publication in 2010. In addition, APA is not altering the current edition, Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition Text Revision (DSM-IV-TR), to include compulsive shopping as a disorder.

The DSM is the standard classification of mental disorders used by mental health professionals and provides clear, objective descriptions of mental illnesses, based upon scientific research. It has evolved into a carefully constructed, numerical index of mental illnesses grouped by categories and sub-categories

Darrel A. Regier, M.D., M.P.H., Director, American Psychiatric Association's Division of Research who coordinates development of the DSM states, "at this time there are no plans or processes set up to add compulsive shopping to the list of mental disorders in the next edition of Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders."

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August 19, 2003