Everyone Healthy Library
Behaviour: Substance Abuse
Sign or symptom reference page from the Everyone Healthy database.
! Seek urgent medical care if warning signs appear
A symptom can have many possible causes. Some symptoms need urgent assessment, especially when they are severe, sudden or rapidly worsening.
Get urgent medical care now if there is any severe, sudden, rapidly worsening or worrying symptom, especially:
- chest pain, pressure or pain spreading to the arm, jaw or back
- trouble breathing, blue lips, severe wheeze or choking
- stroke-like symptoms such as face drooping, arm weakness or speech trouble
- collapse, fainting, seizure, confusion or extreme drowsiness
- severe bleeding, black stools, vomiting blood or major injury
- severe allergic reaction, swelling of the face/throat or widespread rash with breathing trouble
- severe abdominal pain, severe headache, stiff neck or sudden vision change
- signs of severe dehydration, sepsis, high fever with worsening illness, or symptoms in a baby/young child that concern you
Full information
Behaviour: Substance Abuse
Substance abuse is a patterned use of drugs of alcohol for non-medical purposes in amounts which are harmful to oneself or others. The term substance abuse is often associated with illicit drug use. However, legal substances including alcohol and presciption or over-the-counter medications can also be abused.
Symptom classification
Body areaMental
Conditions linked to this sign/symptom
3Drugs where this is listed as a side effect
0No drug side-effect links are listed yet.