Drug Abuse
Substance Use Disorder (formerly categorized as drug abuse) is a cluster of cognitive, behavioral, and physiological symptoms indicating that an individual continues using a substance despite significant substance-related problems. It is viewed as a chronic, relapsing brain disease characterized by a loss of control, social impairment, risky use, and pharmacological criteria like tolerance or withdrawal. Rather than a moral failing, the ACA frames it as a complex health condition requiring professional intervention aimed at harm reduction, recovery, and addressing underlying psychological triggers.
