Within the DSM-5-TR, Substance-Related Disorders are categorized as such due to the presence of (an excess of) drugs that have the ability to directly affect the brain reward systems that are involved in the reinforcement of behaviors and/or the establishment of memories. While the pharmacological differences in the impact of these drug classes on the brain may be different, they still commonly create the sense of pleasure or induce a “high” in the individual.

Substance-Related Disorders

Non-Substance Related “Addictive” Disorders is a category that encompasses disorders that display behavioral patterns that are indicative of altered brain reward systems, resulting in “addictive” or “excessive” patterns of behavior, _without_ the involvement of substances. Overall, this category of disorders is less researched and exists more to compare behaviors similar to substance-related disorders, but do not involve drugs/substances. 

Non-Substance Related "Addictive" Disorders

The DSM-5-TR separates Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders into the following two distinct categories:
- Substance-Related Disorders
- Non-Substance Related "Addictive" Disorders


Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders are characterized by abusing the activation of the brain reward system through certain behaviors or the use of pharmacological substances. This often results in a sense of increased pleasure, or a “high”, encouraging reinforcement of behaviors and actions that are detrimental to or neglectful of daily activities. Due to insufficient research, repetitive behaviors that have been coined as behavioral addictions (e.g., sex addiction, exercise addiction, or shopping addiction) are excluded from this chapter.

Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

American Psychiatric Association. (2013). Diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (5th ed., Text revision). https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.books.9780890425596

DSM-5-TR

[DSM-5-TR] Categories of Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders

A comprehensive understanding of substance-related topics involves three main areas: describing the diagnostic criteria for substance use disorders, identifying the specific neurotransmitter systems affected by different drug categories, and explaining how these drug categories influence behavior and conscious experience.

Learn Before

Related

Learn After