Substance use
Show Alternative Names
Substance abuse
Illicit drug abuse
Narcotic abuse
Hallucinogen abuse
Substance use is the continued use of alcohol, illegal drugs, or the misuse of prescription or over-the-counter medicines with negative consequences. These consequences may involve:
Substance use
Substance use disorder occurs when a person's use of alcohol or another substance (drug) leads to health issues or problems at work, school, or home....
Read Article Now Book Mark Article- Problems at work, school, home or in interpersonal relationships
- Problems with the law
- Health problems
- Physical risks that come with using drugs in dangerous situations
Substances that are commonly used include:
- Alcohol
Alcohol
Alcohol use disorder is when your drinking causes serious problems in your life, yet you keep drinking. You may also need more and more alcohol to f...
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Amphetamines
Amphetamines are drugs. They can be legal or illegal. They are legal when they are prescribed by a doctor and used to treat health problems such as...
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Cocaine
Cocaine is made from the leaves of the coca plant. Cocaine comes as a white powder, which can be dissolved in water. It is available as a powder or...
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Inhalants
Inhalants are chemical vapors that are breathed in on purpose to get high. Inhalant use became popular in the 1960s with teens who sniffed glue. Sin...
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LSD
LSD stands for lysergic acid diethylamide. It is an illegal street drug that comes as a white powder or clear colorless liquid. It is available in ...
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Marijuana
Marijuana comes from a plant called hemp. Its scientific name is Cannabis sativa. The main, active ingredient in marijuana is THC (short for delta-...
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PCP
Phencyclidine (PCP) is an illegal street drug that usually comes as a white powder, which can be dissolved in alcohol or water. It can be bought as ...
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Prescription medicines
When a medicine is not taken in the way it is meant to be used and a person is addicted to it, the problem is called prescription drug use disorder. ...
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Review Date:
6/5/2022
Reviewed By
Fred K. Berger, MD, addiction and forensic psychiatrist, Scripps Memorial Hospital, La Jolla, CA. Internal review and update on 07/23/2023 by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
References
American Psychiatric Association. Substance-related and addictive disorders. In: American Psychiatric Association. Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. 5th ed, text revision. Arlington, VA: American Psychiatric Publishing; 2022.
Weiss RD, Liebschutz JM. Drug use disorders. In: Goldman L, Cooney KA, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 27th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 365.
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