It has been suggested that this article or section be merged into Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders#A multiaxial approach. (Discuss)

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) organizes psychopathology using a "multiaxial" system, and describes the axes as "different domains of information" for use in clinical work. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association The poopDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States. ... The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual published by the American Psychiatric Association The poopDiagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM), published by the American Psychiatric Association, is the handbook used most often in diagnosing mental disorders in the United States. ...

"Axis II" includes personality disorders and mental retardation, and more generally is used to describe maladaptive aspects of personality, and defense mechanisms. Personality disorders form a class of mental disorders that are characterized by long-lasting rigid patterns of thought and actions. ... Mental retardation (also called mental handicap[1]) is a term for a pattern of persistently slow learning of basic motor and language skills (milestones) during childhood, and a significantly below-normal global intellectual capacity as an adult. ... It has been suggested that Personality psychology be merged into this article or section. ... In psychoanalytic theory, a defence mechanism is an unconscious way to protect ones personality from unpleasant thoughts which may otherwise cause anxiety. ...

The five DSM axes are:

• Axis I: major mental disorders, clinical disorders
• Axis II: underlying pervasive or personality conditions, developmental disorders and learning disabilities, as well as mental retardation
• Axis III: medical conditions contributing to the disorder
• Axis IV: psychosocial and environmental factors contributing to the disorder
• Axis V: Global Assessment of Functioning (on a scale from 100 to 0)

Within Axis II, 12 conditions are distinguished (many are commonly referred to by their acronyms): The Global Assessment of Functioning, or GAF scale, is a numeric scale (1 through 100) used by mental health clinicians and doctors to rate the social, occupational and psychological functioning of adults. ...

• Paranoid Personality Disorder
• Schizoid Personality Disorder
• Schizotypal Personality Disorder
• Antisocial Personality Disorder
• Borderline Personality Disorder
• Histrionic Personality Disorder
• Narcissistic Personality Disorder
• Avoidant Personality Disorder
• Dependent Personality Disorder
• Obsessive-Compulsive Personality Disorder
• Personality Disorder Not Otherwise Specified
• Mental Retardation

These conditions are not mutually exclusive; indeed the DSM notes that it is common for a patient to suffer from more than one Axis II condition. Schizoid personality disorder (SPD) is a cluster A personality disorder characterized by a lack of interest in social relationships, a tendency towards a solitary lifestyle, and emotional coldness. ... Antisocial personality disorder (abbreviated APD or ASPD) is a psychiatric diagnosis in the DSM-IV-TR recognizable by the disordered individuals impulsive behavior, disregard for social norms, and indifference to the rights and feelings of others. ... Borderline personality disorder (BPD) is defined within psychiatry and related psychological fields as a disorder characterized primarily by emotional dysregulation, extreme black and white thinking (believing that something is one of only two possible things, and ignoring any possible in-betweens), and turbulent relationships. ... Narcissistic personality disorder (NPD), a term first used by Heinz Kohut in 1971[1], is a form of pathological narcissism acknowledged in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1980, in the edition known as DSM III-TR. Narcissistic Personality Disorder, is a maladaptive, rigid, and persistent condition... Avoidant personality disorder (sometimes abbreviated APD or AvPD), or anxious personality disorder, is a personality disorder characterised by a pervasive pattern of social inhibition, feelings of inadequacy, and extreme sensitivity to negative evaluation. ... Obsessive Compulsive Personality Disorder (OCPD), or anankastic personality disorder, is a personality disorder that is characterized by a general psychological inflexibility, rigid conformity to rules and procedures, perfectionism, and excessive orderliness. ... Mental retardation (also called mental handicap[1]) is a term for a pattern of persistently slow learning of basic motor and language skills (milestones) during childhood, and a significantly below-normal global intellectual capacity as an adult. ...