What is Substance Abuse Disorder?
Substance abuse disorders–which are the abuse of, dependence upon or addiction to alcohol or drugs–destroy families, relationships and lives. According to the 1996 National Household Survey on Drug Abuse, which was conducted by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and eMedicineHealth, about 13 million people in the United States use illicit drugs. Addiction takes a toll on health care and prison costs as well as its victims’ lives.
