Levels of Abuse

Low Risk Use

Low risk users use mood altering drugs occasionally. They do
not binge, use only in socially acceptable situations, and have
little, if any, evidence of health risk from their use. The Federal
Government has published Sensible Drinking Guidelines for adult
men and women that provide clear information about what
drinking levels are associated with no detectable health risks.

One difference between low risk users and people with addiction problems is that "social users" never have to try to limit their use, make up rules around their use, or cut back on their use because of an embarrassing situation etc. People with addiction problems do these things in an effort to become social users.

Substance Abuse

Substance abusers use more alcohol than is considered "healthy," or use any amounts of non-alcohol mood altering drugs. Substance abusers binge at levels that can be risky to their health, and use to levels of intoxication that significantly impair their judgment and moral values. They do not, though, meet the criteria for chemical dependence or addiction. Substance abuse is a behavior that many people participate in during their late teens and early 20's. This behavior can evolve either into low risk use or addiction. Substance abusers have control over their use, unlike people who are addicted, and many people who abuse drugs don't have problems caused by their drug abuse.

Although not a disease or illness, substance abuse is still responsible for a tremendous amount or pain and suffering in our society, including "date rapes" and other violence between young people, as well as destruction of property.

Many substance abusers "grow out of" using to risky levels. Some people who behave like "abusers" are probably addicted. People who are addicted will use more and more often over time, while others in their peer group use less and less often.

Chemical Dependence or Addiction

Chemical Dependence or addiction is a chronic disease of the brain. Addiction has nothing to do with a person's morals, education, social class or ethnicity. It is a primarily genetic illness that runs in families. Doctors and other professionals use this definition: Addiction is characterized by the repetitive, intermittent, loss of control over the use of a mood altering drug that causes problems in a person's life. Addiction is not defined by how much or how often people use - it is defined by what happens when they use.

People who are addicted will experience problems in these areas:

• self-respect
• close love relationships
• social relationships
• financial problems
• legal problems
• work problems
• medical or psychiatric problems.

Addiction also costs our society money: The economic costs of addiction are estimated at 80-110 billion dollars per year.

by Drug Rehab Lifeline