Psychiatry and addiction disorders are closely linked, but the current epidemiological and clinical evidence impose us to effectively define the "dependence medicine" (DM) discipline, and to review its management. The need for change is also suggested indirectly by the new DSM-5 which proposes a partial overcoming of the term 'addiction' by introducing the definitions Substances Use Disorders (SUDs), Alcohol Use Disorders (AUDs), and disorders related to behavioral alterations (behavioral disorders): eating disorders, gambling, etc. These disorders can generate organic diseases, psychic, family and social problems. The onset of psycho-pathological diseases, in young poly-dependents, occurs in a high percentage of cases of SUDs and/or AUDs (40-70%); the constant increase of young poly-dependents requires us to avoid psychiatrization as a first approach. For these reasons we suggest a change of management in this field, underlining how the DM combines elements of public health, prevention, internal medicine, clinical pharmacology, neurology 'and even psychiatry'.