Substance Abuse : Overview
What is
Substance
Abuse?
Substance abuse is basically defined as the overuse, excessive use, the overindulgence or wrong use of illegal and legal drugs, which can negatively affect a person's physical, mental and social wellbeing. While illegal drugs such as marijuana, cocaine and heroin often come to mind when one thinks about substance abuse, the fact of the matter is, legal drugs such as alcohol, over-the-counter medications, prescription drugs, inhalants, solvents, and even coffee and cigarettes, with their addictive ingredients, can be equally abused when used or overused, especially for the purpose for which they were not intended.

 

What you
need to
know
  1
Substance abuse can negatively impact your ability to effectively perform in school and at work.
  2
Substance abuse can lead to serious physical and mental health disorders.
  3
Substance abuse places you and others in dangerous situations, such as when the abuser drives a car, bus or operates a motorcycle other machinery.
  4
Substance abuse can have legal nightmares, such as when getting arrested and convicted of a drug charge, which could have a negative impact on one's ability to find employment and establish many careers.
  5
Substance abuse, if left unchecked, can lead to discord with family, true friends, neighbors, co-workers and many others who will socially interact with the abuser.