Substance Abuse

Substance Abuse is distinguished by repetitive use of a substance or substances in circumstances where use leads to or contributes to markedly negative outcomes. Defining substance abuse can be hard. "Substance" refers to the range of drugs that can be potentially abused, like illicit drugs (heroin, marijuana), licit drugs (tobacco, alcohol), and recommendation drugs (Vic Odin, alprazolam). "Abuse" refers to the use of a substance when it is not medically specified or when its use goes beyond socially established levels. Technically, substance abuse is one in a spectrum of substance use sickness outlined in the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. In order to meet medical criteria, a person, over the course of one year, must feel one or more of the following: major impairment in the completion of role obligations due to use of a substance, continued use of a substance in hazardous circumstances, recurrent substance-related legal problems, or continued use of a particular substance despite having constant social or interpersonal problems sourced or compounded by the use of the substance.