Diagnostic Criteria for addiction generally follow the notion of "continued abuse despite serious consequences." This is up for interpertation of the clinician - who is almost always getting money following the diagnosis and treatment.
See the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of the Americal Psychological Association AKA, (DSM IV).
This manual is full of (shit - oops) so called "mental llnesses", and their characteristics, symptoms and consequences.
We therapists are supposed to believe in it.
Actually, most of us see it as a political attempt to make all mental illness medical, and assign psychiatrists and psychologists as the experts on treating these "illnesses." As is demonstrated in talkingcure.com, we are simply labeling personal, situational, cultural and environmental differences and resources as "problems."
My belief is that these are not actually or necessarily "problems," but differences, and the real problem is a society that wants everyone to be the "same", "normal" "in the middle of the bell curve."
In reality, people are unique in many different ways and oftentimes these differences represent strengths, creativity and diversity that are quite beautiful - but our culture wants to label them sick and make money off of treating the ,so called, sickness. Some sicknesses exist, many do not.
The fact is this: When people become uncomfortable with who they are, they adapt into what they desire to be.
My first question is not to ask what does society want, but to ask the client what he or she wants to be or become or remain.
The point is that we choose and we live with our choice. or change again. We evolve. My job is to help people do that when they want to.
Some people will want to drink or smoke pot and they will have positive or negative consequences or both. Some people will get in way over their heads with hard drugs such as opiates, barbituates et al. They may want to be assiated in a controlled or community support environment.
As has been said, drug treatment has a low rate of success - because success is a voluntary and personal will / tenacity issue. The cure is the will and power and choice of the addicted person.
In short, diagnostics are dumb. They are worth little more than enforcing a social/ cultural norm and collecting money for treatment. Psychotropic drugs, similarly can be helpful. They can also be used for similar evil.
Pick your therapist / "treatment" carefully and remember that you, not the therapist, are the real physician - I am just a mentor.
Therefore, regarding diagnoses, see DSM IV, and notice that it is largely full of crap
