Substance Abuse
| Alcoholism and drug dependence and addiction, known as substance
use disorders, are complex problems. People with these disorders
once were thought to have a character defect or moral weakness; some
people mistakenly still believe that. However, most scientists and
medical researchers now consider dependence on alcohol or drugs to be a
long-term illness, like asthma, hypertension (high blood pressure), or
diabetes. Most people who drink alcohol drink very little, and many
people can stop taking drugs without a struggle. However, some people
develop a substance use disorder - use of alcohol or drugs that
is compulsive or dangerous (or both). The above was taken from 2010, from: http://www.enotalone.com/article/6889.html) |