Substance abuse
Substance abuse is a pattern of repeated use of alcohol, drugs, or both even though this use causes unpleasant or distressing events in the user's life. You have a substance abuse problem if one or more of the following have occurred within the last 12 months:
- Substance use interferes with your ability to carry through with your obligations at home, school, or work. This includes:
- Repeated absences from work or school or poor performance because you are drunk, high, or hung over.
- Getting kicked out of school; getting fired.
- Neglecting your family or home.
- You repeatedly use alcohol, drugs, or both in dangerous situations, such as while driving a car or a boat, or operating machinery.
- You have legal problems related to substance abuse, such as arrests for driving under the influence (DUI) or disorderly conduct.
- You continue to use alcohol, drugs, or both despite social or personal problems caused or made worse by use of the substance. This includes everything from arguments with a family member about drug use to physical fights with strangers.
| Author: | Jan Nissl, RN, BS | Last Updated: January 18, 2008 |
| Medical Review: | Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine William M. Green, MD - Emergency Medicine | |
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