Behavioral Health
Emotional & Mental Health Connections
Substance Abuse
Identifying a Substance Use Disorder
When substance use interferes with daily functioning, or is influencing an individual's work, parenting, safety, or health, it is a problem and needs to be addressed.
Anyone can develop a substance use disorder to street or recreational drugs, prescription medications, or other toxins. Typically substances are divided into 11 classes:1
- Alcohol
- Caffeine
- Cocaine
- Inhalants
- Opioids
- Sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiolytics
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- Amphetamines
- Cannabis
- Hallucinogens
- Nicotine
- Phencyclidine (PCP)
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National Institute on Drug Abuse
To learn more about these substance categories, including street and commercial names, intoxication effects, and potential health effects. Read more on the difference between Substance Abuse vs. Substance Dependence.
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Continually updated to provide quick answers to the most commonly asked questions.
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Find a therapist or counselor, and more.
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Find a variety of tools; including fact sheets, videos, books and web sites, to help support service members, families and friends.
Self-Assessment Tools
Self-assessment tests and screening tools can be the key to identifying, understanding, and getting support for drug and alcohol dependence. These quick and easy tests can be the simple first step toward getting helpful information for you, your family, your friends, and your colleagues.
- American Psychiatric Association (2000). Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, 4th Edition, Text Revision. Washington, DC: American Psychiatric Association.