Substance Use Versus Abuse

The Difference between Substance Use and Abuse

Generally substance abuse is termed to any substance that is being used for mood-altering purpose by the user harming self. There is difference between drug abuse and substance abuse, according to Medline’s medical encyclopaedia the drug abuse is defined as “the use of illicit drugs or the abuse of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they are indicated or in a manner or in quantities other than directed”. But the defining substance abuse is not that simple. There are substances that can be abused for mood-altering purposes and they are not drugs at all. They may be solvents or inhalants. At the same time there are drugs that have no mood altering effects but they are abused like anabolic steroids.

Most people when they talk about substance abuse they refer to drug abuse or illegal use of drugs may be they are prescription drugs or over-the-counter drugs. The persons associated with prevention of drug abuse say any use of illegal drugs is an abuse. On the first count those drugs have to illegal and with a negative effects to health; so hazardous and use of them is abuse.

On the other hand there are other who would argue that some recreational drugs like marijuana is not addictive and have no harmful effects but it offers the “high” with beneficial effects unlike the “hazardous” drugs. But contrary to their claim, studies have shown that prolong use of marijuana harms physical, mental and psychomotor system. As per the reports of National Institute of Drug Abuse that marijuana is very much addictive and develops psychologically dependency.

In fact illegal drugs are not to be blamed alone for their addictive nature. Alcohol, over-the-counter drugs, many prescription drugs, solvents, inhalants or tea, coffee, tobacco can be abused by using them to harmful excesses. There are many substances for which there are no clear cut lines between use and abuse. They may vary from one to other. A pot of coffee in the morning to start the day may be useful for one but the same may be abuse for other, depending upon individual health condition. So, in this situation, it is only the individual can decide the line between use and abuse of a particular substance.

About the illegal substances, the society has identified that their use is hazardous to individual as well as social health. It has clamped the prohibition of their use to curb the drainage of healthcare resources, productivity loss, crime, the spread of various diseases and homelessness.

On the web you can find the list of drugs that are most commonly abused and cause addictions.