Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, is a patterned use of a drug in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods which are harmful to themselves or others, and is a form of substance-related disorder.

Drug abuse and addiction, now both grouped as substance or drug use disorder, is a condition characterized by a self-destructive pattern of using a substance that leads to significant problems and distress, which may include tolerance to or withdrawal from the substance. Drug use disorder is unfortunately quite common, affecting more than 8% of people in the United States at some point in their lives. Dual diagnosis refers to the presence of both a drug-use issue in addition to a serious mental health condition in an individual. People can abuse virtually any substance whose ingestion can result in a euphoric ("high") feeling.

Inhalants like household cleaners are some of the most commonly abused substances. While the specific physical and psychological effects of drug use disorder tend to vary based on the particular substance involved, the general effects of a substance use disorder involving any drug can be devastating. Although drug use disorders have no single cause, there are a number of biological, psychological, and social risk factors that can predispose a person to developing a chemical use disorder.

Symptoms of a drug problem include recurrent drug use that results in legal problems, occurs in potentially dangerous situations, interfere with important obligations, results in social or relationship problems, tolerance, withdrawal symptoms, using a lot of the drug or for a long period of time, persistent desire to use the drug, unsuccessful efforts to stop using the drug, neglecting other aspects of life because of their drug use, and spending inordinate amounts of time or energy getting, using, or recovering from the effects of the drug. While the specific effects of drugs on the brain can somewhat vary depending on the drug that is being used, virtually every substance that is abused has an effect on the executive-functioning areas of the brain. Drugs particularly affect the brain's ability to inhibit actions that the person would otherwise delay or prevent.

Since there is no single test that can definitively diagnose someone with a chemical use disorder, health care professionals assess these disorders by gathering comprehensive medical, family, and mental health information, as well as securing a physical examination and lab tests to assess the sufferer's medical state. Treatment options for substance abuse disorders remain largely underutilized by most people who suffer from these conditions.

The primary goals of recovery are abstinence, relapse prevention, and rehabilitation. During the initial stage of abstinence, a person who suffers from chemical dependency may need detoxification treatment to help avoid or lessen the effects of withdrawal. Drug addiction increases the risk of a number of negative life stressors and conditions, particularly if left untreated. Episodes of remaining drug free (remission) and relapse characterize recovery from a substance use disorder. Addiction is a disease that affects your brain and behavior. When you’re addicted to drugs, you can’t resist the urge to use them, no matter how much harm the drugs may cause. Drug addiction isn’t about just heroin, cocaine, or other illegal drugs. You can get addicted to alcohol, nicotine, opioid painkillers, and other legal substances relevant topics falls under the scope of Journal of Forensic Toxicology & Pharmacology

Katherine Gray
Editorial Coordinator
Journal of Forensic Toxicology and Pharmacology
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