That's not the whole truth. It is used for that in USA, BUT it is used in a huge part of the world, in teaching situations and for our Euro doctors for diagnosis. Where I live we have socialized med so it doesn't matter much about insurance companies because so few are uninsured. Most are only universally insured.

We diagnose according to DSM, then the diagnosis is translated into ICD code. That is because ICD is not detailed at all and very hard to use as a manual.

DSM seems to have gotten into our thinking. I have seen several forums (members) using DSM as if it was THE truth and whatever anyone says, the DSM is right because it always has the last say for some reason.

This site is basically built on the older version of DSM.

When people google if they wonder if they have something, they turn to DSM definitions.

It has become a huge influence.