Substance Use Disorders Overview

Use of any psychoactive substance, regardless of frequency or amount.

The use of a psychoactive substance resulting in health and social problems.

The state of being under the influence of a psychoactive substance.

A severe, potentially life-threatening reaction to a substance.

A state of physical or psychological dependence on a substance.

Physical or mental discomfort experienced when a substance is stopped or reduced.

Any compound that can alter brain function and lead to health or social issues.

A group of substances that can cause intoxication, dependency, and/or withdrawal symptoms.

A legal classification of drugs based on their medical use, potential for abuse, and safety concerns. Substances are categorized into five schedules, with Schedule I having the highest potential for abuse and no accepted medical use.

A substance with a high potential for abuse and no currently accepted medical use in the United States. Examples include heroin, LSD, and ecstasy.

A substance with a high potential for abuse, leading to severe psychological or physical dependence. Examples include cocaine, methamphetamine, and oxycodone.

A substance considered dangerous with a moderate to low potential for physical and psychological dependence. Examples include acetaminophen with codeine and anabolic steroids.

A substance with less abuse potential than Schedule I and II drugs. Examples include alprazolam (Xanax) and diazepam (Valium).

A substance with the lowest potential for abuse, often used for antidiarrheal, antitussive, or analgesic purposes. Examples include cough medications with codeine and diphenoxylate/atropine (Lomotil).

The biological response to excessive substance ingestion, potentially leading to severe health consequences or death.

A class of medications used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions. Examples include benzodiazepines and hypnotics.

A type of sedative used to manage anxiety. Common examples include alprazolam, diazepam, lorazepam, clonazepam, and chlordiazepoxide.

Tolerance to benzodiazepines develops when the body needs higher doses to achieve the same effects.

Withdrawal symptoms can occur when benzodiazepine use is abruptly stopped.

Intoxication from sedatives, hypnotics, and anxiolytics causes effects similar to alcohol intoxication, including slurred speech, coordination problems, and unsteady gait.

Overdose from benzodiazepines can cause serious health risks, including slowed breathing and loss of consciousness.

A measure of carbon dioxide levels in exhaled air.

A procedure to help someone breathe by inserting a tube into the airway.

The period between 1990s and 2010 when opioid overdose deaths increased due to increased prescription rates of opioid painkillers.

A period between 2010 and 2013 characterized by a rapid increase in overdose deaths involving heroin due to widespread availability of heroin.

From 2013 to the present, a significant rise in overdose deaths involving synthetic opioids, particularly illicitly manufactured fentanyl.

Fentanyl prescribed by a doctor for severe pain.

Fentanyl that is illegally made and often mixed with other drugs, creating a highly dangerous and unpredictable substance.

An extremely strong synthetic opioid used to sedate large animals. It is highly dangerous and can be lethal even in small amounts.

A medication that can reverse the effects of opioid overdose. It is administered through nasal spray or injection.

Unconsciousness, Pinpoint pupils, Slow and shallow breathing, Blue fingernails/lips.

Check if the person is responsive by calling their name or gently rubbing your knuckles on their sternum. This simple action can help determine if they're conscious.

If the person is unresponsive, immediately call 911 for emergency medical assistance. This is the most crucial step in any suspected overdose situation.

This involves opening the airway, providing rescue breaths, performing chest compressions if necessary, and administering oxygen if available. The goal is to ensure the person is breathing and has a pulse.

A medication that can reverse the effects of an opioid overdose. Naloxone comes in different forms, but the nasal spray is commonly used.

Naloxone can be administered intranasally, intramuscularly, subcutaneously, or intravenously. The nasal spray is a prefilled device, typically administered to one nostril. If using an auto-injector, it's given into the outer thigh.

If the person doesn't respond to the first dose of Naloxone within 2 to 3 minutes, administering a second dose is crucial. Opioids like fentanyl may require additional doses.

Monitor the person's response for at least four hours after the last Naloxone dose. Long-acting opioids necessitate longer monitoring. Even if the person appears to recover, transport them to a medical facility immediately.

Preventing opioid overdoses involves early intervention, proper education, and access to resources. This can help individuals at risk and their support systems address the issue effectively.

Cocaine can be snorted, rubbed on gums, or injected. When processed into a crystal form called crack, it's smoked and absorbed quickly through the lungs.

Short-term effects of cocaine use include increased blood pressure, restlessness, and irritability.

Long-term effects of cocaine use can be severe, including heart attacks, seizures, and other medical complications.

Stimulant intoxication can cause a range of behavioral and psychological changes, including euphoria, changes in sociability, hypervigilance, interpersonal sensitivity, anxiety, tension, or anger, and impaired judgment.

Common physical symptoms of stimulant intoxication include tachycardia, hypertension, pupillary dilation, perspiration or chills, nausea or vomiting, weight loss, psychomotor agitation or retardation, muscular weakness, respiratory depression, chest pain or cardiac dysrhythmias, confusion, seizures, or coma, psychosis or hallucinations, dyskinesia, and dystonia.

Intravenous benzodiazepines are administered to manage agitation in severe methamphetamine intoxication.

Physical restraints should be avoided during severe methamphetamine intoxication as struggling against them can lead to complications like muscle contractions, lactic acidosis, hyperthermia, cardiac collapse, or death.

Stimulant use can have serious cardiovascular and neurological risks, including heart attacks, seizures, psychosis, and cardiac dysrhythmias.