My nephew is both and in a rehab program and he came home and said they are both the same thing.
2006-09-13 05:24:40 · 12 answers · asked by charliegibson 1 in Education & Reference ➔ Other - Education
to a person who is an alchoholic or that will become one-any use of alchohol is abuse-Jesus sets em free -ive known many x alchohlics that serve Jesus and dont drink anymore which i dont either since i came to Jesus and live higher and happier---when alchohol hurts the brain and liver-techincally any use is abuse
2006-09-13 05:34:47 · answer #1 · answered by ? 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A substance abuse problem is less serious. It means the person recurrently drinks to the point where harm could be caused, and it gets in the way of their life (missing school, work, etc). But an alcoholic simply relies on alcohol so much that they could lose friends, family, everything they know, including themselves, and they could get a tolerence so high that they are consuming liters of alcohol daily. You should read James Frey's "A Million Little Pieces" (even if parts may be fictional). He sounds like true alcoholics I have seen in the past, bent over the toilet daily, feeling angry, even suicidal when they don't have alcohol.
2006-09-13 05:30:09 · answer #2 · answered by todovabien 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One is a part of the other in that alcohol is a substance that can be abused but it is not the ONLY substance that can be abused so yes and no, right and wrong all at the same time.
2006-09-13 05:32:37 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
While alcohol is a substance, not all substances are alcohol. Substance could also include drugs, as well as other household items abused for those types of purposes.
2006-09-13 05:36:49 · answer #4 · answered by ♫☼♥ ≈ Debbi ≈ ♥☼♫ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
An alcoholic has a particular type of substance abuse, the substance obviously being alcohol. Substance abuse is a very generic term for many types of addictions-alcohol, cocaine, vicodin, etc. In my way of thinking, I consider cigarette addiction as substance abuse because people are addicted to nicotine.
I hope your nephew can successfully recover from his addictions. He has a tough road ahead of him.
2006-09-13 05:34:01 · answer #5 · answered by SuzeY 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
What they teach you in rehab is that an alcoholic isn't "just an alcoholic". That being an alcoholic is as bad as being a dope head or meth user.....etc.
Most people who drink alcohol say, hey, it is just alcohol, right? It is legal, and they are of age, so it is not bad.... well in rehab they teach you that alcohol is just as bad as other substances if not the worst of all to be addicted to.
That is what he means whan he says that they told him they are both the same. Not really the "same", but both are equally harmfull if abused.
if you have any questions email me...
2006-09-13 05:33:23 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When someone is an alcoholic and substance abuser, also known as addict, it is the same. AA (Alcoholic Anonymous) is very clear about recovering from the disease of Alcoholism and nothing else. Where as NA (Narcotics Anonymous) is recovery from all substance abuse including alcohol. In AA your far more likely to find Alcoholics who are not addicts. In NA your most likely to find Addict/Alcoholics.
Addict is defined as a person who is addicted to an activity, habit, or substance.
Alcoholic is defined as containing or using alcohol, a person addicted to intoxicating drinks.
2006-09-13 06:27:33 · answer #7 · answered by BeloyeMore 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the only difference is an alcoholic drinks alcohol and the substance abuser uses drugs! Other than that, there is no difference.
2006-09-13 05:31:26 · answer #8 · answered by brenda l 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Well, alcohol IS a substance...so an alcoholic can be a substance abuser.. "substance" can mean meany different things.
2006-09-13 05:32:42 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Alcoholic only covers alcohol and is not politically correct.
Substance abuser is more generic covering all forms of drug and alcohol dependency is a little more PC.
2006-09-13 05:30:52 · answer #10 · answered by Jonathan D 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋