Substance abuse has now been considered as a disease instead of a moral problem. It has been classified into different stages which enables the psychiatric professionals to help the drug abused individuals based on their status. These stages include experimentation, regular use, risky behavior, dependence and addiction.
More often, many people start taking drugs to experiment without even knowing the effects of substance abuse. In addition, this sort of illicit drug experimentation is mostly seen among young people. This may be because of peer pressure or a wish or desire to enjoy the pleasure effects of illicit drugs. However, some people may also wish to experiment using drugs because of marital conflicts or work pressure. Though they initially use them occasionally, they try to get into the next stage of regular use with time. At this stage, the drug users wish to use them regularly and tend to increase the use of substance gradually. Though some people try to stop the habit at this stage, some others get into the next stage of risky use.
Under the risky stage of drug abuse, people get themselves engaged in different sorts of risky behavior like driving under the influence of drugs, getting involved in crimes such as cheating and stealing, and so on. Those who are used to this risky drug use are more prone to drug dependence which is the next stage of substance abuse. The rise in drug abuse at this stage leads to failure of various responsibilities related to work, school or family. The last stage of substance abuse is addiction which is a medical condition that involves serious psychological and physical changes from repeated heavy use of alcohol, or drugs, or both. Drug addiction is a progressive illness, however, it is treatable.
