Diagnosis of abuse and addiction

Abstract

The diagnostic systems typically used in psychiatric hospitals are designed to define homogenous groups of patients whose specific aetiology leads to certain symptoms. From this aetiology, a therapy that is most effective for this disease group should be planned. For a diagnosis of a disease the following should be provided: By defining a disease, its aetiology is also automatically defined. In addictions, smoking and drinking are often only secondary phenomena. The aetiology of abuse and the causes of addiction have always been seen as two different constructs.