Man Diagnoses Himself With Every Disorder in the DSM-5, Sets New Hypochondria Record

Self-taught psychology enthusiast Gerald Criterion has diagnosed himself with every condition listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition, completing what he calls 'the full DSM' in a process that took eight months and required 'a very flexible interpretation of the symptom criteria.' 'I started with the anxiety disorders because those were obvious,' said Criterion from his home, where a wall-mounted poster of the DSM-5's table of contents features checkmarks next to each chapter. 'Then I moved through mood disorders, personality disorders, neurodevelopmental disorders, and sleep-wake disorders. The substance use chapter was tricky because I don't drink, but I did have a concerning relationship with chamomile tea for a while, so I counted it.' Criterion's therapist, Dr. Sylvia Differential — whom he began seeing specifically because he 'needed someone to witness the journey' — has been documenting the process. 'In our first session, he handed me a binder,' said Dr. Differential. 'It was tabbed. Each tab corresponded to a DSM chapter. Each section contained his self-assessment, with symptoms highlighted and personal anecdotes provided as evidence. Some of the evidence was... creative.' Among the more creative interpretations: Criterion diagnosed himself with pica (the eating of non-nutritive substances) based on having once accidentally swallowed a piece of foil from a candy wrapper, and with pyromania based on 'a persistent interest in scented candles that goes beyond normal enthusiasm.' 'The most impressive part is his commitment,' Dr. Differential conceded. 'He genuinely believes he has all 297 conditions. Ironically, his belief that he has every disorder might itself be the most clinically relevant thing about him.' Criterion is now awaiting the DSM-5-TR revisions, which he hopes will include 'at least a few new conditions I can add to the collection.'