Sources we cite

Each Shrinktionary entry lists the specific sources that support its definition. These are the categories of sources we treat as reliable.

Primary clinical references.: The DSM-5-TR for diagnostic criteria. The ICD-11 where international consistency matters. Official FDA medication labels for prescribing information.
Federal and academic health authorities.: The National Institute of Mental Health for condition overviews and prevalence data. MedlinePlus from the National Library of Medicine for patient-facing explanations. The CDC for public health context. The American Psychiatric Association for clinical practice guidance.
Major medical centers.: The Mayo Clinic, Johns Hopkins, and Cleveland Clinic for accessible, clinician-reviewed explanations of conditions and treatments.
Peer-reviewed literature.: Papers indexed in PubMed, prioritizing meta-analyses, systematic reviews, and large studies published in respected journals.

The organizations we rely on

These are the primary, authoritative bodies behind our entries. Each link opens the organization's own site.

How we weigh a source

Not all evidence carries the same weight, and we treat it that way. For diagnostic definitions, the DSM-5-TR and ICD-11 come first. For medications, we go to the official FDA label and the regulatory record. For how common a condition is, or how it's generally described, we lean on federal authorities like NIMH and MedlinePlus. When we summarize what treatments work, we prioritize systematic reviews and meta-analyses over single studies, and large, well-designed studies over small or preliminary ones. A single paper, a press release, or a striking finding that hasn't been replicated doesn't become a claim on this site.

When sources disagree, we say so rather than pretending the question is settled. And when the evidence is genuinely uncertain, we'd rather tell you it's uncertain than round it off into false confidence.

Keeping sources current

A source is only useful while it's accurate. Guidelines get revised, the DSM gets updated, and the FDA changes labeling, so we re-check the sources behind an entry when its review date comes up or when we learn something has changed. When a source moves or retires a page, we update the link or replace it with the current authority. The "Last reviewed" date on every entry tells you how recently we checked.

We don't cite blog posts, social media, or commercial health sites as primary sources, and we don't cite ourselves. We're also cautious with single studies and preprints, which can be preliminary or later contradicted, and we say so when an entry rests on emerging rather than settled evidence. Each citation includes the title, publisher, and a direct link, and you'll find them at the bottom of every term so you can check our work.