Significance of Substance abuse
Substance abuse refers to the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including drugs and alcohol, resulting in significant health risks such as addiction, cardiovascular diseases, and increased susceptibility to mental health disorders. This behavior often intensifies during stressful situations, like the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly among adolescents. It is a major public health challenge linked to various societal issues, including intimate partner violence and suicidal ideation, and exacerbated by maladaptive coping mechanisms in response to stress.
Synonyms: Drug abuse, Substance misuse, Addiction, Drug dependence, Dependency, Substance use disorder.
The below excerpts are indicatory and do represent direct quotations or translations. It is your responsibility to fact check each reference.
The concept of Substance abuse in scientific sources
Substance abuse involves the harmful or hazardous use of psychoactive substances, including drugs and alcohol, which can lead to addiction and serious health issues. This issue is also examined in neuroprotective studies and addressed through Ayurvedic practices.
From: The Malaysian Journal of Medical Sciences
(1) This is the use of substances that can be associated with low self-efficacy, indicating that the lack of confidence might contribute to dependency issues.[1] (2) This is a co-morbid diagnosis that was an exclusion criterion in the study.[2] (3) Substance abuse is the excessive use of drugs, and the study examined the profiles of clients attending a methadone clinic to understand factors associated with substance abuse.[3] (4) This describes the use of drugs or alcohol, which is a factor contributing to intimate partner violence among perpetrators.[4] (5) This is the harmful use of drugs or alcohol. The play2PREVENT Lab has created games to prevent this.[5]