Substance abuse disorder, also simply known as substance abuse, is a condition wherein a person becomes dependent on a drug in such a way that it becomes harmful not only to his or her physical well-being, but also to his or her mental well-being.

More often than not, their dependence on the substance stems from the belief that they could no longer be happy or function normally without using the drugs.  Furthermore, substance abuse disorder is marked by escalation – either in behavior or in intake of the substance (often both).

It must be noted that substance abuse more often than not refers to effects of the substance on a person’s relationship with the people around him or her when on the substance or when craving for the substance.

The most frightening thing about substance abuse as a disorder is that a person would continue abusing the substance that they favor without even thinking about it, allowing it to turn into a habit even if they are fully aware of the effects of the drug in question.

Contrary to what many people may believe, substance abuse disorder is not limited to hard drugs or recreational drugs; they could also include things as innocuous as over the counter medication, alcohol, and the like.

This domain is dedicated to providing you with as much information as necessary for understanding substance abuse disorder.