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How to know if you or a loved one is an addict

19 Apr 2016 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:12

This YouTube video (≈11 minutes) by Amber Hollingsworth explains how to determine whether someone has an addiction or alcoholism by walking viewers through the DSM-5 criteria for substance use disorders. The presenter outlines that she will explain each DSM-5 criterion, give examples, and instruct viewers to count how many criteria apply to themselves or a loved one so they can tell if a diagnosable disorder is present.

Chapters

You know, the most common question that I get is, is this really addiction or alcoholism or is it something else? And over the course of years, I've developed a special way that I answer this question. And I wanted to be able to give that to you exactly the way that I would if you were sitting in my office. Instead of answering that question directly, I usually say, I don't know, let me get out the criteria, we'll go through them together. And then you tell me by criteria, what I'm referring to is the Diagnostic Statistical Manual, the fifth version. This is the latest version. It's out within the past year and a half or so, and they did change the way that we diagnose substance use disorders. And so I have recorded for you exactly the way I would do this if you were sitting in my office. So I don't just read you the criteria because I'm sure you can find that, but I expl explain what each one means and give a few examples so that it makes it clear. And then you will count on your fingers or in your head how many that you have. And by the end of this 11 minute video, you'll know if it's alcoholism or addiction, or if your family member or loved one is struggling with alcoholism or addiction.