M.F.C.C. Before substance abuse can be treated, it must be identified. Making a distinction between a person who is capable of occasional use and someone who gets caught up in the cycle of compulsive substance use is crucial. Substance abusers will often minimize the extent of their use to make it sound recreational, and therefore under control. In order to understand and treat substance abuse we need to have some understanding of the meaning of addiction. Technically, the term substance abuse applies to a pattern of continued use, despite adverse consequence.
Addiction is a biological, psychological and social process.
The person feels compelled to use. Compulsive behavior has a driven quality, as though one is pulled along by forces out of one's control. Simply making a rational decision to not use is often not adequate to facilitate stopping a compulsive behavior. Compulsive use is often evident in a user's unsuccessful attempts to control or regulate use of a substance. Continued use despite adverse consequences Addiction involves continuing to use even though one knows it is causing problems.