The criteria for addition to alcohol and drugs are diagnosed using the criteria for substance dependence. There are 7 criteria for substance dependence and the person would have to have at least 3 of the criteria within the same year.
- Tolerance- A- a need for increased amounts of the substance to achieve desired effect; B- noticable diminished effect with continued use of the same amount of the substance.
- Withdrawl Symptoms
- The substance is often taken in larger amounts or over a longer period than was intended
- There is a persistent desire or unsuccessful efforts to cut down or control substance use.
- A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substance.
- Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of the substance abuse
- The substance use is continued despite knowledge of having a persistent or recurrent physical or psychological problem that is likely to have been caused by the substance.
If you replace the word substance with the word cutting; wouldn’t it fit just perfectly?
- People build a tolerance for self-mutilation. It starts off as just one cut and then one cut is no longer enough. You then need another and another.
- When you do not cut you start building cravings. similar to an individual going through withdrawal.
- The amount of cuts grow as well as the depth. They become dangerously deeper.
- You can not seem to bring down the urge or control it.
- You spend your day seeing ordinary items as useful tools.
- Summer is no longer fun when it is filled with long pants and hooded sweat shirts.
- You know it is wrong, dangerous, and hurtful to others but you do not seem to care.