To be sure, the DSM is not all bad. It gives us the language to communicate with other professionals (and yes, insurance companies too) when discussing client needs and in coordinating services. Many people also feel relieved about being able to name their condition and understand that the condition is only a part of themselves ("I'm not crazy; I have bulimia.").
For others, a diagnosis especially one of a personality disorder, is not unlike a life sentence and even a convenient excuse to NOT try to change their behavior ("I'm borderline, don't expect me to behave rationally!").
With adolescents who persistently defy authority and break rules, it is not uncommon to find dysfunction in the family; labelling the teen as "oppositional defiant" may unduly place shift the focus away from the family to the offending youth.
Therapy is a meeting of two or more people, each with his/her rich characteristics and unique qualities.
clipped from: thoughtsontherapy.blogspot.com