The diagnosis begins with the name of the specific drug (e.g. alcohol) that has been established to be the inducer to the depressive symptoms. Furthermore, the drug code and criteria are selected by the class of the drug (classified under certain numbers) and with criteria of the presence or absence of a comorbid substance use disorder. (If a drug is not stated in the coding system it has to be classified under other substance). After this has been established, the specifiers for substance use disorder need to be established, meaning specifying the onset of depressive symptomatology.

One example can be:

F10.14 mild alcohol use disorder with alcohol-induced depressive disorder, with onset during withdrawal.