Substance use disorders - Difficulties in diagnoses

Substance abuse disorders may be subtle and difficult to diagnose for sever al reasons. Medical and psychiatric problems may mask the disorder, the pat ient may attempt to minimize or hide the problem, and the physician's attit ude may present obstacles to proper diagnosis. Familiarity with the risk fa ctors, differential diagnostic signs and symptoms, and barriers to diagnosi s will assist the physician in making accurate substance-use disorder diagn oses.