ABSTRACT
The dangerous consequences may sometimes spread from the individual to his environment, making addiction an individual characteristic, with environmental and social consequences. Diagnosis of addiction is based on a set of criteria established by an international and multidisciplinary team of experts who consider the latest advances in research and clinical knowledge. The essential feature of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) Substance Use Disorder is a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating that the individual continues using despite significant substance-related problems. Changes in the concept of addiction have led to the evolution of its definition and its diagnostic criteria, as reflected by the successive and revised editions of the DSM since its first publication in 1952. Addiction diagnosis was included in the DSM and the Mental Disorders section of International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems at its implementation.
