- published: 10 Dec 2009
- views: 685598
Substance abuse, also known as drug abuse, refers to a maladaptive patterned use of a substance (drug) in which the user consumes the substance in amounts or with methods not condoned by medical professionals. Substance abuse/drug abuse is not limited to mood-altering or psycho-active drugs. Activity is also considered substance abuse when inappropriately used (as in steroids for performance enhancement in sports). Therefore, mood-altering and psychoactive substances are not the only drugs of abuse. Substance abuse often includes problems with impulse control and impulsivity.
The term "drug abuse" does not exclude dependency, but is otherwise used in a similar manner in nonmedical contexts. The terms have a huge range of definitions related to taking a psychoactive drug or performance enhancing drug for a non-therapeutic or non-medical effect. All of these definitions imply a negative judgment of the drug use in question (compare with the term responsible drug use for alternative views). Some of the drugs most often associated with this term include alcohol, amphetamines, barbiturates, benzodiazepines (particularly temazepam, nimetazepam, and flunitrazepam), cocaine, methaqualone, and opioids. Use of these drugs may lead to criminal penalty in addition to possible physical, social, and psychological harm, both strongly depending on local jurisdiction. Other definitions of drug abuse fall into four main categories: public health definitions, mass communication and vernacular usage, medical definitions, and political and criminal justice definitions. Substance abuse is prevalent with an estimated 50 million users of hard drugs such as cocaine, heroin and other synthetic drugs.
Lost living for this world,
taking chances with my life,
out of control.
Surrounded by darkness,
living in sin.
Substance abuse,
destruction the toll.
Everything's changed,
everything's new.
I live my life for Christ.
I live to hear the truth.
No longer in darkness,
of false reality.
Take the word of God,
it will set you free.
God's my rock,
my foothold to life,
without Him I'm lost.
I'd close up inside.
I cannot walk,
I cannot see,
I cannot hear,
I cannot speak,
He is my reason.
My only reason.
Substance abuse,