DSM-5 diagnostic criteria for substance-use disorders

Whilst the term ‘addiction’ is widely used and will likely continue to enjoy widespread use, it is too imbued with stigma and unspecific to be used as a medical term.^[1] Equally, the term ‘dependence’ is unsuitable as a medical term because dependence is often a normal response to a substance.^[1] Therefore, the DSM-5 uses the term substance-use disorder.^[2]

References:
[1] Sadock BJ, Sadock VA, Ruiz P (eds). Kaplan & Sadock’s Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry, 10^th edition. Wolters Kluwer, 2017.

[2] American Psychiatric Association (APA). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 5^th edition. American Psychiatric Association, 2013.