Since our Sweeten Life teams are teaching Peer and Professional Helpers in many nations it has been necessary for us to develop guidelines on the various levels of dysfunction, emotional pain and mental distress.
There is a guidebook for Psychiatrists, Psychologists, Counselors, Social Workers and Peer Helpers. It is called the DSM V and that stands for the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders Fifth Edition. That is way to complex and out of reach for Peer Helpers, Lay Pastors, family members, etc. so I created my own simple version. Second, you will notice it is only for what they consider to be people with Mental Illness. Peer Helpers, we do not use the term Peer or Lay Counselors for that is illegal in Ohio.
It is important to recognize that the main reason these manuals were developed was to create diagnostic categories of illness so they would be paid by insurance agencies. If a problem or issue is not listed it does not mean that people do not struggle with it. It means we cannot be paid for helping people stop the behavior because it is not considered to be a disease. Insurance pays only for the treatment of a disease.
I will later share the following categories in more depth but in this introduction I am covering the levels of stress, distress, a person is experiencing at any time when they seek assistance.
Level I. Very Together and Very Healthy in thinking, feeling and acting. (equip to minister to others.)
Level II. Good health mentally, emotionally and relationally. (Train and disciple with focus on healing and growth.)
Level III. Some vague and some specific life altering patterns, habits or characteristics. (Assign a Peer helper to support plus involve in psycho educative activities.)
Level IV. Serious life interrupting patterns, habits, and/or activities. (Needs a well trained Helper plus Peer support.)
Level V. Emotional, relational and habitual lifestyle interrupts life continually. (Intense therapy and ministry needed.)
These levels are all explained in my book Hope and Change for Humpty Dumpty.
Gary Sweeten
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