Mental health articles

Substance abuse words and definitions. Substance abuse occurs when a person continues to use a substance knowing that the substance will have an adverse effect on their health and activities of daily living. For example, a person may use the substance to “relax” on Friday and Saturday and then abstains on Sunday with the hope of returning to normal and being fully functional for work on Monday.

Substance dependency occurs when a person uses a substance to feel normal. Initially, the person uses the substance to “relax.” However, the person goes through withdrawal symptoms as the level of the substance in the bloodstream decreases and the body attempts to compensate for the missing substance.

Withdrawal symptoms are uncomfortable and may cause serious health problems, such as seizures, depending on the substance. The person reuses the substance to alleviate the withdrawal symptoms. In addition, the person builds a tolerance for the substance, requiring a higher dose to achieve “relaxation” and to prevent withdrawal symptoms. There are two types of substance dependency. These are physical dependency and psychological dependency. Physical dependency occurs when the person experiences

withdrawal symptoms when abstaining from the substance.

Psychological dependency occurs when the person exhibits drug-seeking behaviors after the physical dependency has dissipated. Addiction is a psychiatric disorder that occurs when a person is psychologically dependent on a substance. A person who is addicted to a substance will spend most of their waking hours focused on obtaining and using the substance with total disregard to activities of daily living including family and employment responsibilities. Substance abuse, substance dependency, and addiction and what to do about them are presented.

Tags: substance abuse