substance use
Last updatedWhat to know
The “substance” in “substance use” can refer to many things: illicit drugs like cocaine; legal drugs like alcohol; industrial materials that can have similar effects, like glue; and medications used in a way not intended by the prescribing doctor.
Not all substance use is automatically illegal or unhealthy. When drug use causes harm or affects a person’s daily life, then it can be considered problematic.
Reporting that someone “abuses drugs” can play into assumptions about the person and what they’re experiencing. This framing can reinforce stigmas that keep individuals from seeking addiction treatment. Saying someone “misuses drugs” or “uses prescription drugs other than prescribed” is more specific and removes the value judgment from your reporting.
In the case of alcohol use in particular, the term “alcoholic” has been under debate for decades. Many advocates discourage use of the term, saying that it is stigmatizing to define someone solely by their addiction. The National Institute on Drug Abuse recommends using person-first language when discussing alcohol addiction, such as “individual who misuses alcohol” or “person with alcohol use disorder.”
Additional resources
- The Science of Drug Use and Addiction: The Basics (National Institute on Drug Abuse)
Summary
Substance use is consuming a drug or chemical that alters one’s physical, emotional, or cognitive state. Saying that a person “abuses drugs” can play into assumptions about the person and what they’re experiencing. Saying someone “misuses drugs” or “uses prescription drugs other than prescribed” is more specific and removes the value judgment from your reporting.