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Running head: SUBSTANCE ABUSE OR SUBSTANCE DEPENDENCE?
Substance Abuse or Substance Dependence
Roberta Simpkin
Substance Abuse and the Family
PSY481-UB – M1:A3
Argosy University

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Substance Abuse or Substance Dependence?
Substance abuse has become one of our biggest and most important social
problems in our society today. There are programs today in our schools and in our
communities aimed at preventing this disease. In our schools here, it is a topic of utmost
priority and talked about most frequently.
There are “three different terms used to define substance-related disorders;
substance abuse, substance dependence, and chemical dependence. Substance abuse
refers to the misuse of a drug, whether legal or illegal”, (Yale Medical Group). “Its
continued use will mar our friendships and/or our family relationships. Substance
dependence is continuing to use a drug even though it is shown that significant problems
have developed related to their use. The term chemical dependence refers to the
compulsive use of chemicals (drugs or alcohol) and the inability to stop using them
despite all the problems they cause”, (Yale Medical Group).
Substances “most abused by adolescents include, but are not limited to, alcohol,
marijuana, and cocaine”, (Yale Medical Group).
To look at what causes substance abuse/chemical dependence, “we have to look at
the cultural and societal norms that influence acceptable standards of substance use.
Substance-related disorders in adolescence are caused by many factors, which include but
not limited to; social pressures, individual personality characteristics, and psychiatric
problems”, (Yale Medical Group).
“Two factors that contribute to a youth’s decision regarding substance use are
parental use and peer pressure. Some adolescents are more at risk of developing

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Substance Abuse or Substance Dependence?
substance-related disorders, such as children of substance abusers, adolescents who are
victims of physical, sexual, or psychological abuse, adolescents with mental health
problems, especially depressed and suicidal teens”, (Yale Medical Group).
“Therefore, substance abuse describes the social consequences and substance
dependence describes the physical and emotional symptoms”, (Argosy, 2010).
Our subject is named Jose. Jose “initially said he used cocaine only on the weekends.
Now he uses it everyday. He spends most of his paycheck on his cocaine use. His wife
threatens to divorce him, and he is close to being fired from his job for under-performing.
Yet, he continues to use cocaine”, (Argosy, 2010).
Is Jose’s behavior evident of substance abuse, substance dependence, or
chemical dependence? My viewpoint regarding Jose’s cocaine addiction is that he is
incapable of stopping this behavior alone nor does he sound like he wants to change. I
would consider Jose’s behavior to be evident of substance abuse because “his life
describes a pattern of significant problems in his life, which includes failure to attend to
his performance at work, relational difficulties with his family, and the misuse of an
illegal substance, cocaine”, (Argosy, 2010).

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Substance Abuse or Substance Dependence?
What category of substances does cocaine fall under, and what are the
implications of this category on the body?
“Cocaine is a stimulant. The implications of this category on the body can be
devastating. The regular presence of cocaine, or any drug will distort Jose’s ability to
think rationally and nurture important relationships. Over time, Jose will distort what the
family considers “normal.” Unfortunately, each member of the family must develop an
individual method of coping with the neglect, abuse, indifference, or other responses by
Jose”, (Argosy, 2010).
My opinion for what Jose needs to break his habit and abstain from cocaine use,
is to attend rehabilitation and a support group. In fact, the whole family would benefit by
attending a support group.
What Jose needs is professional help. What Jose needs is substance abuse treatment
and the whole family needs family therapy. “Family therapy in substance abuse
treatment has two main purposes: (1) to use the family’s strengths and resources to help
find or develop ways to live without substances of abuse, and (2) to ameliorate the impact
of chemical dependency on both the identified patient and the family”, (Argosy, 2010).
“Substance abuse brings the greatest damage to the lives of those people whom the
abuser is closest to. This is because the abuser caught up in relying on a substance that

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becomes a case of substance abuse is less available to the people they should be caring
for”, (Argosy, 2010).
Substance Abuse or Substance Dependence?
“The regular presence of any drug will distort the user’s ability to think rationally and
nurture important relationships”, (Argosy, 2010).
“In family therapy, the unit of treatment is the family, and/or the individual within the
context of the family system. The person abusing substances is regarded as a subsystem
within the family, the person whose symptoms have serious implications for the family
system”, (Argosy, 2010).
The “effects of substance abuse are widespread and it is slowly destroying the lives of
those closest to the problem — the family members of the addict. Substance abuse
wreaks the greatest damage in the lives of those closest to the person abusing substances.
This is so because, in many cases, substance use is an alternate way of coping with the
pressures and stress of life. But it is a maladaptive way of coping. The more Jose relies
on cocaine to cope with his problems, the less available he will be to his family, the
people he should be caring for.” (Argosy, 2010).
“There are a variety of treatment programs for substance abuse that Jose would
benefit from, programs that are available on an inpatient or outpatient basis.
Detoxification (if needed, based on the substance abused) and long-term follow-up
management are important features of successful treatment. Long-term follow-up
management usually includes formalized group meetings and developmentally age-

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Substance Abuse or Substance Dependence?
appropriate psychosocial support systems, as well as continued medical supervision”,
(Argosy, 2010).
“Individual and family psychotherapy are often recommended to address the
developmental, psychosocial, and family issues that may have contributed to and resulted
from the development of a substance abuse disorder”, (Argosy, 2010).

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Substance Abuse or Substance Dependence?
References
Argosy University (2010). PSY481-UB: Substance abuse and the family, Module 1,
Online Lecture, Retrieved on September 9, 2010, from:
http://www.myeclassonline.com
Yale School of Medicine (2010). Yale Medical Group, Module 1 Online Lecture,
Retrieved on September 9, 2010, from: http://www.myeclassonline.com