Addiction: A Runaway Phenomenon of Our Time?

Addiction: A Runaway Phenomenon of Our Time?

Is addiction a runaway phenomenon of the 21st century? The answer depends on the definitions we use. Addiction is a common term referring to behaviors of a compulsive, consuming nature that an individual has difficulty relinquishing despite its adverse consequences to oneself and others. However, in the Diagnostic Statistical Manual- IV-TR, addiction is not a diagnostic category. Substance abuse and dependency are classified under Substance Abuse Disorders while other compulsive behaviors, such pathological gambling and kleptomania, are currently classified as Impulse Control Disorders. A Task Force is considering the addition of Addiction and Related Disorders to the DSM-V that will encompass both substance use disorders and non-substance addictions.