Substance use
People have taken psychoactive substances (drugs) throughout human history, for many reasons, with the most commonly used drugs being alcohol and cannabis. Most substance use does not harm the individual or anyone else. However, in a small percentage of cases, people can experience negative consequences from their substance use, or become physically or psychologically dependent.
Substance use and dependence can also be understood as being on a spectrum
There is a broad range of substance use – from abstinence to dependence (or substance use disorder). An individual’s substance use may change throughout their life, for a variety of reasons. For these reasons, substance use and dependence can be understood as being on a spectrum, as seen in the model below.
🚨 IMPORTANT!!🚨
Substance use becomes a problem when it:
- gets in the way of work, school or other activities.
- causes problems with family or friends and another relationships.
- harms a person's mental or physical health.
- creates financial problems.
Learn more from:
- National Institute on Drug Abuse 🇺🇸
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction 🇨🇦
- Comsión Nacional contra las Adicciones 🇲🇽
