Diagnosis
DSM classification
"Substance dependence", as defined in the DSM-IV, can be diagnosed with physiological dependence, evidence of tolerance or withdrawal, or without physiological dependence. DSM-IV substance dependencies include:

303.90 Alcohol dependence
304.00 Opioid dependence
304.10 Sedative, hypnotic, or anxiolytic dependence (including benzodiazepine dependence and barbiturate dependence)
304.20 Cocaine dependence
304.30 Cannabis dependence
304.40 Amphetamine dependence (or amphetamine-like)
304.50 Hallucinogen dependence
304.60 Inhalant dependence
304.80 Polysubstance dependence
304.90 Phencyclidine (or phencyclidine-like) dependence
304.90 Other (or unknown) substance dependence
305.10 Nicotine dependence

Management
Addiction is a complex but treatable condition. It is characterized by compulsive drug craving, seeking, and use that persists even if the user is aware of severe adverse consequences. For some people, addiction becomes chronic, with periodic relapses even after long periods of abstinence. As a chronic, relapsing disease, addiction may require continued treatments to increase the intervals between relapses and diminish their intensity. While some with substance issues recover and lead fulfilling lives, others require ongoing additional support. The ultimate goal of addiction treatment is to enable an individual to manage their substance misuse; for some this may mean abstinence. Immediate goals are often to reduce substance abuse, improve the patients ability to function, and minimize the medical and social complications of substance abuse and their addiction; this is called "harm reduction". Treatments for addiction vary widely according to the types of drugs involved, amount of drugs used, duration of the drug addiction, medical complications and the social needs of the individual.
Malignant multiple sclerosis is used to describe MS patients who reach significant level of disability in a short period of time. Malignant MS cases are not common, less than 5% of patients with MS experience this type of progression.The National MS Society Advisory Committee on Clinical Trials of New Agents consensus defined it as: disease with a rapid progressive course, leading to significant disability in multiple neurologic systems or death in a relatively short time after disease onset. Reaching Expanded Disability Status Scale of 6.0 or higher, which is equivalent of needing unilateral support to ambulate  (or worse) is generally considered this significant disability level.Patients with severe forms of more common relapsing remitting or progressive MS subtypes, as well as rare Marburg variant and Balo concentric sclerosis, could be considered to have malignant MS. Patients should be carefully worked up to rule out Neuromyelitis optica (Devics disease) due to the distinctive pathophysiology and management strategies of this disease. Signs and symptoms
Some common physical symptoms may include: "weakness in extremities, difficulties with coordination and balance, spasticity, paresthesia, speech impediments, tremors, dizziness, hearing loss, vision impairments, bowel and bladder difficulties"

Diagnosis
Earlier signs include an increase in mobility over a short period of time. Malignant MS happens in patients that already have or have been diagnosed with MS. There is not a specific test to detect malignant MS; it is often confused with acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. Malignant MS is diagnosed after clinical investigations.