Substance abuse refers to the overindulgence in and dependence on a stimulant, depressant, chemical substance, herb (plant) or fungus leading to effects that are detrimental to the individual's physical health or mental health, or the welfare of others.

The disorder is characterized by a pattern of continued pathological use of a medication, non-medically indicated drug or toxin, that results in repeated adverse social consequences related to drug use, such as failure to meet work, family, or school obligations, interpersonal conflicts, or legal problems. There are on-going debates as to the exact distinctions between substance abuse and substance dependence, but current practice standard distinguishes between the two by defining substance dependence in terms of physiological and behavioral symptoms of substance use, and substance abuse in terms of the social consequences of substance use.

Substance abuse may lead to addiction or substance dependence. Medically, physiologic dependence requires the development of tolerance leading to withdrawal symptoms. Both abuse and dependence are distinct from addiction which involves a compulsion to continue using the substance despite the negative consequences, and may or may not involve chemical dependency. Dependence almost always implies abuse, but abuse frequently occurs without dependence, particularly when an individual first begins to abuse a substance. Dependence involves physiological processes while substance abuse reflects a complex interaction between the individual, the abused substance and society. ^*

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NPR Topics: Health & Science

Top 10 Reasons Why The BMI Is Bogus
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 11:17:00 -0400
Weekend Edition math guy Keith Devlin graded the body mass index, a popular measure of determining healthy body weight, and failed it on 10 grounds.
Food Documentary Debate Misses Mainstream Farmers
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0400
Food Inc., a documentary film about the modern agricultural industry, is a hit with big-city movie reviewers, small organic farmers and vegetarians. The movie argues that large-scale agriculture produces inexpensive meat and vegetables, but imposes high costs on the environment and Americans' health. But ordinary farmers — the people who grow the lion's share of what America eats — have largely been left out of the mainstream media debate over Food Inc. Frank Morris, of member station KCUR in Kansas City, drove out to hear what farmers are saying.
Acetaminophen Concerns Prompt FDA Recommendation
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 08:00:00 -0400
A panel of experts from the Food and Drug Administration has recommended lowering levels of acetaminophen in prescription and over-the-counter drugs because of concerns about liver damage. Host Scott Simon talks to NPR's Joanne Silberner about the proposed changes.
Fireworks Are Packed With ChemistryChemistry of Fireworks
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:00:00 -0400
Why do some fireworks shoot golden flaming balls while others produce green sparks? It's just chemistry. Bassam Shakhashiri, chemistry professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, explains the science of fireworks.

Wash Post Health

With Online Training, You Can Run With Elite Coaches by Your Side
Lenny Bernstein Tue, 07 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
I had already joined a local running group to begin gearing up for the Oct. 11 Chicago Marathon when Runner's World called to ask if I wanted to talk to Bart Yasso about the magazine's new online training program.
Obama Holds Health-Care Forum in Virginia
Michael D. Shear and Jose Antonio Vargas Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
President Obama offered a wonkish defense of his embattled health-care reform effort during an hour-long town hall meeting in Northern Virginia yesterday that featured seven questions, including one sent via Twitter and several from a handpicked audience of supporters.
Integrity of Federal 'Organic' Label Questioned
Kimberly Kindy and Lyndsey Layton Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400
Three years ago, U.S. Department of Agriculture employees determined that synthetic additives in organic baby formula violated federal standards and should be banned from a product carrying the federal organic label. Today the same additives, purported to boost brainpower and vision, can be found...

Reuters: Health News

U.S. parents think twice about sending kids to camp
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:47:12 -0400
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Since its opening last week, camp counselors at New Jersey's Liberty Lake Day Camp disinfect door knobs, take the temperatures of children as they arrive and remind the campers not to share canned sodas.
Wealth, disability factors in alcohol-longevity tie
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:30:08 -0400
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Moderate drinkers are wealthier, more educated and less likely to be disabled than teetotalers, which explains some, but not all, of the association between moderate alcohol consumption and longer life, according to a new study.
Social factors influence neighborhood asthma rates
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 10:41:00 -0400
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Childhood asthma is less common in neighborhoods with high economic potential and strong community vitality, new research shows.

CNN.com - Health

Police: Hospital worker swiped shots, spread hep C
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 18:18:42 -0400
A former hospital employee may have exposed hundreds or thousands of surgical patients to hepatitis C when she replaced clean needles filled with the powerful painkiller fentanyl with her own dirty needles filled with saline solution.
Health.com picks top beach, lake getaways
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:47:40 -0400
We know your summer vacation time is precious: You want to land where you can truly relax, breathe fresh air, get in some exercise and eat well -- without breaking the bank. That's why we teamed up with a panel of travel and health experts to help us find the healthiest of the nation's most popular beach and lake towns.
Suit: Toxic plane air sickens flight attendant
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:31:03 -0400
The last time Terry Williams can remember being headache-free was in December. A chronic migraine has plagued her ever since. So have balance and vision problems, a tremor in her left arm, a prickly sensation in her feet and a loss of childhood memories.

ABC News: Health

Diprivan Found in Jackson's Home
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:51:55 -0400
ABC News confirms: Police found the anesthetic Diprivan among other drugs.
The Michael Jackson Diet: What Did MJ Eat?
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 07:06:53 -0400
Some speculate that the pop legend may have had an eating disorder.
Can Real Men Admit They're Depressed?
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:16:52 -0400
Admitting they are depressed should be a sign of strength for men, not weakness.

BBC News | Health | UK Edition

Self-help 'makes you feel worse'
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 23:06:55 -0000
Bridget Jones is not alone in turning to self-help mantras to boost her spirits, but a study warns they may have the opposite effect.
First swine flu death in London
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 13:01:36 -0000
A 19-year-old man has died after contracting swine flu in London, health authorities confirm.
Pharmacist pay premium rejected
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 14:10:16 -0000
Unions attack ministers' rejection of a proposal for a national recruitment and retention premium for junior pharmacists.

Newsweek Health Headlines

Are the Chemicals Released by Fireworks Dangerous?
Thu, 02 Jul 2009 16:49:07 -0000
Are "green" fireworks the answer to unhealthy pyrotechnics? 
Biologists Struggle to Make Sense of Genomics
Sat, 27 Jun 2009 21:04:19 -0000
Ten years ago, the human genome was medicine's holy grail. Playing the part of King Arthur's knights were rival teams of biologists racing to sequence all the genetic instructions required to make a human being. And just as the actual Holy Grail was believed to have miraculous healing powers, some promised that the genome would change medicine forever. Biotech companies raced to cash in—Human Genome Sciences, for instance, filed patents on 100,000 genes and, in 1999, saw its stock quadruple. But genomic science didn't deliver fast breakthroughs. Today Human Genome's stock price is down below $3, and its vast patent portfolio looks like overkill, considering that a human has only about 20,000 genes altogether.
Eric Kandel: A Biology of Mind
Sat, 27 Jun 2009 20:44:04 -0000
Understanding the biology of mental illness would be a paradigm shift in our thinking about mind. It would not only inform us about some of the most devastating diseases of humankind but, because these are diseases of thought and feeling, it would also tell us more about who we are and how we function. I naively thought we were on the verge of such a paradigm change in 1983, when James Gusella and Nancy Wexler were tracking down the gene that causes Huntington's disease. I expected that within 10 years we would have found the major genes that contribute to schizophrenia, depression, and autism. Since then, there has been a lot of enthusiasm about genes and mental illness and some false starts, but surprisingly little progress.

USATODAY.com Health - Top Stories

Overhaul debate gets personal with real-life health care stories
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 21:24:22 -0000
On both sides of the health care debate, thousands of people are now telling their stories on videos, ads and websites. Voters ...
Doctors say more ovary transplants possible
Sat, 04 Jul 2009 16:35:10 -0000
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U.S. study: New flu inefficient in attacking people
Fri, 03 Jul 2009 16:29:20 -0000
With swine flu continuing to spread around the world, researchers say they have found the reason it is so far more a series ...

Penn Medicine - Health and Wellness Newsletter

Penn Advances the Treatment and Prevention of Hepatitis B and C
More than 4 million people in the United States are infected with hepatitis C and about 1.5 million people nationwide are infected with chronic hepatitis B. Hepatitis B and C are silent diseases, meaning they are difficult to detect because patients are often asymptomatic. Although hepatitis is curable, untreated hepatitis is a significant risk factor for liver cancer.
Pennsylvania Hospital's Pavilion Now Open
Pennsylvania Hospital is pleased to announce the opening of the Pavilion. The Pavilion is specially designed for individuals requesting amenities like those often found in deluxe hotels. Some of the amenities include fine linens, gourmet meals, and concierge service. Private rooms and suites are available to accommodate family members if desired.
A Program for Older Adults with Cancer
Cancer affects older adults more than any other age group. Older patients face different challenges than younger patients. They may have medical and social issues that complicate their care, such as living alone, having other medical conditions, or living on a fixed income. The Joan Karnell Cancer Center at Pennsylvania Hospital recognizes that older adults with cancer may require specialized care to support themselves and their families.

Reader's Digest: Health

Choosing a Weight-Loss Program for your Child
Fri, 02 May 2008 00:00:00 -0400
Read more about this interesting rd.com article.
Foods to Lower Blood Sugar: Berries
Fri, 16 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400
Berries are nutrition powerhouses and they may help keep your blood sugar in check.
Foods To Lower Your Blood Sugar: Cherries
Fri, 16 Mar 2007 00:00:00 -0400
When you get a snack attack, reach for a handful of this sugar-lowering fruit.

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