What is the definition of a substance abuser?
A substance abuser is an individual who repeatedly uses an addictive substance or performs a certain behavior even with the knowledge of its negative health consequences. A person is drug dependent or addicted if he or she uses drugs repeatedly despite the social, interpersonal, or other problems associated with their use and has a physical or psychological tolerance to the drug and experiences withdrawal symptoms after the effects of the drug wear off. Long-term drug abuse can interfere with normal brain activity and metabolism and can become a chronic, relapsing condition characterized by compulsive drug craving and drug seeking. There are other kinds of addiction that may not involve the use of substances, such as gambling, sex, and eating-related disorders, all of which involve a range of dysfunctional behaviors with undesirable social, medical, and economic consequences (see Table 13-1).
