The drug dependence syndrome (colloquially: addiction, abuse, addiction) means a disruption by drugs (psychotropic substances) in line with the ICD-10. A syndrome describes the simultaneous existence of different characteristics (symptoms) with mostly single causes of unclear development course.

To diagnose the dependency syndrome must be after the ICD-10 at least three of the following criteria during the past year have been jointly met:
  •     1st Obsessive desire for consumption
  •     2nd Interference, non-more-stop-may
  •     3rd Physical withdrawal symptoms
  •     4th Require ever-larger quantities, so that effect
  •     5th Great time for procurement, consuming oneself and the rest of them -
  •     6th Continued use of the substance (s) against better knowledge and despite entering harmful consequences.
Definition

The desire for the psychotropic substance after understanding the World Health Organization (WHO), the forces of the mind subordinate. It affects the free development of personality and the social ties and social opportunities of an individual to interfere with or destroy. Dependence by the WHO as a disease and not as willing or weakness of character.

The WHO defines dependence as "a psychological, perhaps even physical condition, characterized is that an urgent request or need is invincible, the corresponding substance and continued periodically procedure."

Even the body's own biochemical messengers (neurotransmitters), for example, in the buff, stoffwechselbedingter or paid sexual activity can lead to dependence. As with any other physical dependence occur when Discontinuation real withdrawal symptoms, since the substance part of the metabolism become.

Concept of use of psychotropic substances

In the official parlance of the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of addiction existed from 1957 to 1963. Thereafter, he was initially due to misuse and addiction replaced. Finally, after 1969 The concept of abuse in favor of defined four categories of use discarded:
  •     1st Unauthorized use of the society is not tolerated
  •     2nd Dangerous use, probably has harmful effects for consumers
  •     3rd Dysfunctional use, impaired mental or social requirements
  •     4th Harmful use, has already harmful consequences (cell damage, mental disorder) caused
These names have in the ICD-10 line found, however, can be found in the DSM-IV as the term "abuse". The professional use of language professionals from the fields of medicine and social work (eg in diagnostics) now prefers the wording of the ICD-10, just one scientific work.

This rewording happened to the notion of stigma often associated to a dependency syndrome sufferers to avoid. At the same time, the concept of recycling dependencies limited. In society, the restatement has not really enforced. "Addiction" is still widespread and is also supported by the media very often used. In modern scientific work, the term "addiction" deliberately avoided.