2.4 Normal Grief and Bereavement vs. Substance-Related Disorder

Normal Grief and Bereavement vs. Substance-Related Disorder

• In substance-related disorders, there is evidence that the substance in causing the emotional, cognitive and behavioral disruptions.
• In substance-related disorders, the emotional, cognitive and behavioral disruptions occur soon after substance intoxication or withdrawal.
• In normal grief and bereavement, the feelings of loneliness and emptiness are not directly related to physiological effects of a substance.

American Psychiatric Association, 2022