Both professionals, as well as people in treatment, are likely to hear of the DSM-5. It can be especially useful in the addiction field.
In the UK, “1 in 11 adults aged 16 to 59 years… reported… drug use in the year ending June 2022“.[1] This will include all manners of substances from more commonly used cannabis to class A drugs such as crack cocaine.
The DSM-5 was originally published in 1952 as a guidance tool for those in diagnostic roles such as mental health professionals.
It is, though, widely referred to by people throughout the world with a general interest in mental health. In relation to addictive disorders, it can be especially useful.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
The DSM-V is a diagnostic manual published by the American Psychiatric Association. It’s reviewed regularly by the association as new knowledge and understanding of mental health and conditions come to light.
DSM is actually abbreviated from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. The V refers to five as in it’s the fifth edition to be published. This also happens to be the most recent edition.
There are different types of substance misuse according to the type of drug that is used. The definition of addiction is concerned with how a psychoactive substance affects and alters brain activity and goes on to impact behaviour.
Addictive substances cause impulse control disorders. While there isn’t one clear cause of addiction, there are a number of risk factors that make people more likely to develop them.
Substance addictions include those linked to the following:
The diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders cover 11 different adverse effects of use. Each individual will experience these at various levels of difficulty and these are likely to fluctuate according to where the person is in their readiness to change and where they are on their recovery journey.
Each of the criteria falls within the category of impaired control, risky use, social problems, or physical dependence.
The eleven criteria include:
Within the diagnostic category of a substance use disorder (SUD), there are various levels of severity. The more severe, the more negative effects on the individual’s health, functioning, and relationships.
The more criteria that an individual meets, the more serious:
Substance dependence is where a person comes to physically depend on the substance in order to function. Bodily systems begin to shut down during withdrawal. This is common in severe opioid use disorders and alcohol addiction.
When professionals diagnose they might also refer to the remission stage a person is at if they’re in recovery.
This would include early or sustained remission, the mention of any medication used in detox to wean a person off a substance, as well as whether the person is in a treatment setting.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
Substance use disorders and substance-induced disorders are both substance-related disorders but aren’t one and the same. Patients can receive diagnostic classification in both areas and they can occur at the same time (known as a dual diagnosis). In fact, this is very common.
As explained earlier in the DSM-5 criteria, a SUD is where a person loses control over how they use alcohol or drugs; it’s an addiction to an addictive psychoactive substance.
A substance-induced disorder is where a condition develops as a result of substance use. This includes mental health conditions (i.e. anxiety, depression, psychosis), intoxication, and withdrawal.
When a mental illness develops as a cause of substances, they can also be diagnosed through the DSM-5 manual.
The most common disorders that occur include:
As well as the mental health conditions above, a person will also experience intoxication and withdrawal as disorders if in active addiction.
Withdrawal symptoms are especially difficult when a DSM-IV dependence diagnosis has been made. In the case of opioids, these can occur even when opioid-based medications are prescribed.
Because of the detailed summaries of symptoms and criteria of various diagnoses, the DSM-V is a brilliant tool for medical and mental health professionals.
It supports people in the field to effectively identify conditions and to communicate using a standardised language with other professionals as well as with the patient and their loved ones.
As well as this it helps in the creation of a treatment plan and supports with offering data for research studies.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
While many mental health professionals and doctors use and refer to the DSM-5, it is a manual published in America, therefore experts from other countries quite often use other organisational guidelines as well. It has been criticised as not having criteria deeply embedded in scientific evidence.
Many health specialists around the globe also use the World Health Organisational guidelines for the classification of diseases.
If someone you care about is using substances regularly then it’s likely that a drug or alcohol use disorder has developed.
It’s incredibly common for people with problematic use to deny they have an issue with substances; denial is one of the main stages of addiction and can last for years.
Many people are also very good at hiding just how much or how often they use.
If you’re loved one is displaying any of the following signs and you know they’re using psychoactive substances then it’s likely they have an addiction:
If you or someone you love thinks they might have a problem with alcohol or drugs, you can get help. There are both government-funded and private rehab treatment options.
It’s beneficial to know that wherever a person is in their use of substances, input from professionals makes all the difference in future outcomes.
The most successful route to healing is at a private rehab clinic. If you’re interested in finding out more, call the Rehab 4 Addiction team for a chat.
If you would like help with an addiction issue, then call our helpline on: 0800 140 4690.
