Quick Links
For Patients
For Physicians
- Refer a patient to a specialist
- Order labs for patients
- Order radiology for patients
- Order At-Home Services
- Get your practice listed
For Companies
© Copyright 2024 American TelePhysicians. All rights reserved.
Substance use disorder (SUD), commonly known as drug addiction, refers to the condition in which a person persistently uses illicit drugs despite knowing that they are harmful and have adverse effects. The disorder affects a person's brain, leading to thoughts, perceptions, and behaviors that compel him to use the drug, and he has no control over this compulsion. This substance abuse results in several mental, emotional, social, and physical adverse effects, like guilt, aggression, irritability, joblessness, family and relationship issues, liver cirrhosis, impaired immunity, endocrine disturbances, neurological problems, skin problems, etc. Common drug classes used in SUD include alcohol, tobacco, opioids, cannabis, phencyclidine, and other hallucinogens, inhalants, sedatives, hypnotics, stimulants, etc.
This disorder results due to the interplay of both genetics and environmental factors. Environmental factors like stress, trauma, relationship complications, job or study difficulties, low socioeconomic status can cause this disorder in genetically susceptible patients. It is also found in people with co-occurring mental illnesses like anxiety, depression, post-traumatic stress disorder.