drug abuse
Harmful chemical dependence
Drug abuse is the harmful or excessive use of substances—prescription medications, illegal drugs, or other chemicals—in ways that damage health, relationships, or daily functioning.
The term implies a pattern rather than isolated use: His drug abuse cost him his job and his family.
Whether a behavior qualifies as abuse versus recreational use often depends on who's defining it; the phrase carries moral weight that clinical terms like "substance use disorder" try to avoid.
- strung outAddicted and suffering withdrawal
- overdoseHarmful excess intake
- addictionCompulsive substance reliance
- methadoneSynthetic addiction treatment opioid
- fentanylSynthetic pain-blocking compound
chasing the dragon · withdrawal · narcotics · needle marks · track marks · dependency · opioid crisis · naloxone · shooting up · hooked · opioids · dipsomania · pills · opioid epidemic · prescription · habit · intoxication · dealer
- addictionaddiction, substance dependency, substance use disorder, alcoholism, dependency
- Incarcerationcell blocks, prison conditions, prison guards, prison labor, prison reform
- substance abuseaddiction, substance use, substance dependence, addict, overdose
- recovery servicesrehab, treatment, detox, sobriety, treatment centers
- Urban Problemsurban blight, blight, abandoned buildings, vacant lots, crime rates
- forbidden actsblasphemy, idolatry, sacrilege, adultery, incest
drug abusesobriety
Unimpaired mental state
abstinence · recovery · clean living · drug-free · clean time
drug abusesobriety
Unimpaired mental state
clean living · healthy living · wellness · self-care · healthy lifestyle
drug, abuse, drugs, misuse, abused, abusive, abuser, abuses, abusing