psychiatric disorders
Substance Use Disorders
Introduction
Substance use disorders involve a pathologic pattern of behaviors in which patients continue to use a substance despite experiencing significant problems related to its use. Diagnosis of substance use disorder is based on diagnostic criteria for the pattern of behaviors. Treating substance use disorder is challenging and varies depending on the substance and circumstances. The common terms "addiction," "abuse," and "dependence" have often been used with regard to substance use, but these terms are too loosely and variably defined to be very useful in systematic diagnosis. "Substance use disorder" is more comprehensive and has fewer negative connotations. The substances involved are members of the Overview of Substance Use . 