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Substance Use Disorder

"The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5), no longer uses the terms substance abuse and substance dependence, rather it refers to substance use disorders, which are defined as mild, moderate, or severe to indicate the level of severity, which is determined by the number of diagnostic criteria met by an individual. Substance use disorders occur when the recurrent use of alcohol and/or drugs causes clinically and functionally significant impairment, such as health problems, disability, and failure to meet major responsibilities at work, school, or home. According to the DSM-5, a diagnosis of substance use disorder is based on evidence of impaired control, social impairment, risky use, and pharmacological criteria."


Definition retrieved from SAMHSA


Below are relevant news updates, policy updates, research documents on the topic of Substance Use Disorder. Looking for information on another topic? Search through our complete list of Clinical Resources and Operational Resources.

Contact Your Senators and Support CURES Act

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the 21st Century Cures Act with strong and bipartisan support. The Cures Act provides key measures to improve our country’s response to addiction. It includes $1 billion dollars in grants for states to address the opioid epidemic and to implement the...

CURES Bill Passes House

Today the US House of Representatives passed HR 34 , The 21 st Century Cures Act. The legislation provides $1 Billion over several years to states through the existing grant program for prevention, treatment, prescription drug monitoring programs, opioid treatment programs, and workforce development...

Surgeon General Issues Landmark Addiction Report

Today the United States Attorney General issued a first-of-its-kind report on addiction. The report makes a finding that substance use disorder is one of America’s most pressing public health concerns with nearly 21 million Americans – more than the number of people who have all cancers combined –...

Surgeon General Issues Landmark Addiction Report

Today the United States Attorney General issued a first-of-its-kind report on addiction. The report makes a finding that substance use disorder is one of America’s most pressing public health concerns with nearly 21 million Americans – more than the number of people who have all cancers combined –...

Media Planet and USA Today Release National Addiction Coverage

NAATP recently participated in the MediaplanetUSA Heroin Addiction campaign in which the addiction industry united to raise awareness of the thousands of Americans who are using or addicted to heroin. Heroin addiction has reached new heights and use has more than doubled among young adults ages 18...

ASAM Opioid Treatment Guidelines

Today, the American Society of Addiction Medicine (ASAM) released its new ASAM National Practice Guideline for the Use of Medications in the Treatment of Addiction Involving Opioid Use. Representatives from the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers (NAATP), National Institute of...