Substance abuse refers to the harmful use of substances such as drugs and alcohol by an individual. This behavior often stems from a desire to escape from difficult situations or overwhelming emotions, and may eventually lead to addiction.

Substances can be legal (such as caffeine, tobacco, glue, petrol, alcohol, prescribed medications) or illegal (heroin, cocaine, cannabis).

Some substances (such as alcohol or tobacco, or illegal drugs like heroin) can become highly addictive and make it extremely difficult to stop.

Long term, substance misuse is known to cause a wide range of problems, such as:

• being physically unwell
• experiencing mental illness
• isolation from friends and family
• unable to continue work or college
• involvement with the police

Useful Resources

The FRANK website has lots of information relating to substance misuse, prevention and treatment. Visit them at https://www.talktofrank.com.

The NHS has information on addiction support at https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/addiction-support.