EssayClub.com - Free College Essays and Term Papers

Subastance Abuse And Rehabilitation

Substance abuse is a problem that affects many people everyday. 4.0 million persons aged 12 or older that received some type of treatment for a problem related to the use of drugs or alcohol in 2006 (Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2007). Even though addicts relapse, rehabilitation will work for the addict and their family if they are ready to begin their journey to sobriety and healing.
Substance abuse is defined as the overindulgence in and dependence of a drug or chemical that can lead to outcomes that can be harmful. Substance abuse is characterized by a pattern of on-going pathological use of medications or drugs that result in consequences such as family obligations, work, school and legal problems (Wikipedia 2008).   Substance abuse and substance dependence have been the source of on going debates. Current practice defines substance abuse as the social consequences of substance use and substance dependence as the physiological and behavioral symptoms of substance use. In the early 1950’s the fist edition of the American Psychiatric Association’s Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders was published, and this manual categorized drug and alcohol abuse under Sociapathic Personality Disturbances.   These were thought to be symptoms of deeper psychological disorders or moral weaknesses. The fourth edition of the manual came out in 1994, and defined substance dependence as persistent use of drugs or alcohol despite problems related to the use of the substance. The 1994 manual defines substance abuse as a maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress (Wikipedia, 2008).
Dependence and abuse are distinct from addiction. The term addiction was first used in reference to opium in 1906. A devotion, dedication, or attachment was used to describe addiction; however the term now is used to describe a reoccurring compulsion to engage in a specific activity. Addiction involves a...