Opioid abuse
305.50 Opioid Abuse
Refer, in addition, to the text and criteria for Substance Abuse (see p. 198). Legal difficulties may arise as a result of behavior while intoxicated with opioids or because an individual has resorted to illegal sources of supply. Persons who abuse opioids typically use these substances much less often than do those with dependence and do not develop significant withdrawal symptoms. When problems related to opioid use are accompanied by evidence of withdrawal or compulsive behavior related to the use of opioids, further information should be gathered to see if a diagnosis of Opioid Dependence, rather than Opioid Abuse, is more appropriate.
Reprinted with permission from the
Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fourth Edition, Text RevisionTM.
Copyright 2000 American Psychiatric Association. All Rights Reserved.