Which is a criterion for Substance Dependence (older diagnosis)?

Which is a criterion for Substance Dependence (older diagnosis)?

• A. Withdrawal symptoms
• B. Legal problems
• C. Substance Abuse
• D. Recurrent use causing neglect

Answer: (A)

Withdrawal symptoms reflect a physiological adaptation to regular substance use. When a person stops, the body reacts, producing symptoms that show dependence has formed. In the older criteria for Substance Dependence, this withdrawal feature is one of the key indicators, along with tolerance and other patterns of compulsive use and impairment. Legal problems are a criterion used for Substance Abuse, not Dependence, in the older framework. Recurrent use causing neglect aligns more with abuse criteria that emphasize neglect of responsibilities, not a defining feature of Dependence. So withdrawal symptoms best fit the criterion for Substance Dependence.

Withdrawal symptoms reflect a physiological adaptation to regular substance use. When a person stops, the body reacts, producing symptoms that show dependence has formed. In the older criteria for Substance Dependence, this withdrawal feature is one of the key indicators, along with tolerance and other patterns of compulsive use and impairment.

Legal problems are a criterion used for Substance Abuse, not Dependence, in the older framework. Recurrent use causing neglect aligns more with abuse criteria that emphasize neglect of responsibilities, not a defining feature of Dependence. So withdrawal symptoms best fit the criterion for Substance Dependence.