Polysubstance

Polysubstance is used in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders to refer to three or more drugs (including alcohol) to which an individual has become dependent (i.e., meets the diagnostic criteria for substance dependence). In the DSM nosology, Polysubstance dependence (diagnostic code 304.80) indicates that the use of any one of the substances does not meet the diagnostic criteria for substance dependence but the combined use of the drugs does meet substance dependence diagnostic criteria.