Substance Abuse

Introduction

Substance abuse is not only a behaviour referring to the occurrence and/or frequency of drug use, but it also supposes a particular lifestyle. Drug use, which may or may not lead over time to abuse, is one more behaviour of the many carried on by an individual in the process of adaptation to the environment in which he or she lives. It does not necessarily have to mean a change in lifestyle; it may affect just one specific area and be limited to that. On the other hand, development of an addiction is associated with a radical change in the individual, which is far greater in the case of illegal substances. An evaluation of addiction must also involve an assessment of all the variables potentially ...