substance use
Ingesting mind-altering compounds
Substance use is the consumption of alcohol, drugs, or other psychoactive compounds.
The term is neutral and clinical, covering everything from casual drinking to addiction.
It appears frequently in medical and policy contexts: substance use disorder, substance use treatment.
The phrase often serves as a less stigmatizing alternative to "drug abuse" or "addiction."
- addictionCompulsive substance reliance
- drug abuseHarmful use of drugs
- harm reductionMinimizing adverse outcomes pragmatically
- needle exchangeSafe injection supply service
- overdoseHarmful excess intake
self-medication · coping mechanism · withdrawal · tolerance · stigma · gateway drug · dependency · stimulants · hallucinogens · detoxification · twelve steps · sedatives · peer support groups · mental health · cannabis · alcohol · relapse · rock bottom
- health factorsexercise, psychological factors, genetics, smoking, alcohol
- substance abuseaddiction, abuse, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, drug addiction
- coping mechanismsrepression, denial, projection, sublimation, rationalization
- disordersADHD, disorder, anxiety, dysfunction, autism
- Mental Disordersschizophrenia, bipolar disorder, depression, anxiety, PTSD
- Military Substance Abusealcohol abuse, drug testing, addiction treatment, alcohol dependence, drug prevention
substance useabstinence
Voluntary forgoing of indulgences
sobriety · teetotalism · clean living · abstention · temperance
substance usesobriety
Unimpaired mental state
clear-headedness · mental clarity · lucidity · natural state
substance userecovery
Regaining what was lost
rehabilitation · clean time · remission · long-term recovery