Opinions - Drug use versus Drug abuse

[Zaprenz]

All factors measured to differentiate drug use from abuse are themselves subjective and non-quantifiable.

It's like HAM-D, DSM-V, GAF criteria used to classify mental disorders. They attempt to make what is a subjective, non-quantifiable variable(s) in to discreet quantifiable variable(s) which are effective and useful in clinical practice. Accepted as a very usefull indicator of a condition - they are incredibly useful but they are never going to be anywhere near 100% accurate.

There are always going to be cases which are either borderline and hard to decide or simply where two different people have two contrasting opinions on someones drug use (This can't exclude medical practitioners themselves - high dose legally prescribed, taken as directed, benzos might be abuse from one dr's perspective, it might be essential in anothers)

[I<3Salvia]

If you ask swim there is a large difference between drug use and drug abuse. Drug use leads to a beneficial result. Drug abuse leads to dependance. However, it shouldn't be the governments responsibility as to what we put in our bodies drug wise. With food, that's understandable as you don't know what you're eating, but with drugs you have a pretty good idea most of the time. We're not a whole bunch of mindless puppets, the government forgets that.

[Rej]

If you look at Drug abuse from a medical perspective there is actual criteria that must be met for that diagnosis. According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders fourth edition, Substance Abuse is defined as:
A maladaptive pattern of substance use leading to clinically significant impairment or distress, as manifested by one or more of the following occurring within a 12 month period:
1.

[Rej]

I completely agree.

[Psych0naut]

Rej, please do not post one-liners, it wastes valueable server space, without adding anything to the discussion. Thanks.

[stoneinfocus]

there´s also evidence, that those with a tendency of drug-abuse, tend to do so, evenmoreso by being restricted to using not all drugs, that could be used (MDMA leads to an reduction of drug-abuse and a more conciuoius use of drugs in general).

The combination of say, starting with smoking and drinking (mostly at the same time) leads to heavy alcohol abuse and then a masking of these heavy addiction by throwing in some amphetamines, coke or heroin. later on.

If they´d use amphetamine or coke in the first place, maybe along with some MDMA and/or psychedelics, maybe those careers wouldn´t end up in wasted lives as multi-organfailure alcoholics with polydrug-abuse history.

[mouthwater]

Originally Posted by stinky_plant

Is there a difference between drug use and drug abuse? It's usually construed as abuse should the drug be illegal, regardless if it's once an hour or once a year. However, it would not be part of the present day vernacular to say that someone having two cups of coffee everyday is abusing caffeine.

It's a very thin line, in SWIM's opinion, between what constitutes drug use and abuse. SWIM's phriend abuses drugs, but s/he often has long stints of sobriety. SWIM thinks it's important to recognize, as best as one can, how drugs are affecting one's life-- one may be maturing emotionally and intellectually, but they may also be performing their responsibilities worse, be spending less time with loved ones, etc., etc.

SWIM also believes that reflecting on how drugs are affecting one's life is best done sober (preferably sober for at least one month).

Although another way to differentiate the two is that drug use LEADS to drug abuse.

It's important to note that drug use is *not* a prerequisite for abuse. Plenty of teenagers get excessively drunk their first time drinking and spend the night dry heaving. This is abuse: it's irresponsible and dangerous.

[AntiAimer]

Being prescribed them or not....being a patient or a self-medicater.

It's all the same and BOTH parties are abusing(exploiting) the drugs effects for there own good. NONE of these drugs CURE anything and arn't meant to, there just made to make the person feel good.