Could See Rise in Addiction Diagnosis with New DSM

Re-writers of the manual that serves as the nation’s bible of mental illness have agreed to revise the definition of addiction, which could result in millions more people being diagnosed as addicts. 


This change would expand the list of recognized symptoms for drug and alcohol addiction, while also reducing the number of symptoms required for a diagnosis, according to proposed changes announced on the APA website.

And for the first time it might include gambling as an addiction, and introduce a category — “behavioral addiction — not otherwise specified” — that could be used by doctors to diagnose addictions to shopping, sex, using the Internet or playing video games.