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Recreational drug use is the use of psychoactive drugs for recreational purposes rather than for work, medical or spiritual purposes, although the distinction is not always clear. Several behavioral psychologist who have studied this field have come to refer to it as the 'Fourth Drive' in that this behavior, has so much force and persistence that it functions like our drives for hunger, thirst and sex.• Regardless of medical supervision, this label does not apply to the use of drugs for utilitarian purposes, such as the relief of fatigue or insomnia, or the control of appetite. A distinction must be made between (recreational) "use" of drugs and drug abuse, although there is much controversy on where the dividing line lies on the spectrum from a drug user to a drug abuser. Some say that abuse begins when the user begins shirking responsibility in order to afford drugs or to have enough time to use them. Some say it begins when a person uses "excessive" amounts, while others draw the line at the point of legality, and others believe it amounts to chronic use when mental and physical health begin degenerating in the user. Some think that any intoxicant consumption is an inappropriate activity. A further distinction should be made in that it is the use of the drug that is recreational, and not the drug itself.
Medical aspects Although recreational use of drugs can cause medical complications, including death, such use is not categorized as one of the substance use disorders. When such use does not cause significant dysfunction, it is often referred to medically as "non pathologic" substance use. The substance use disorders, as a class, are diagnosed based upon social, occupational, and other parameters of function which are often impacted by ongoing use of prescribed and unprescribed drugs. For example, if an individual is using marijuana resulting in symptoms of apathy and lack of motivation, with additional results of a fall in school grades and family discord, that individual would no longer be noted as using "recreationally" or "socially." However, it may be that the individual started using the drug to self-medicate for a medical condition unrelated to any drug use. In the past tincture of cannabis was used for nervous disorders• and even today is being researched •with a view to licensing a modern acetate version again for such indications, so it appears to be a valid claim that this can bring some relief to some unpleasant symptoms. One issue faced by doctors is that while the creation cannabis tinctures had the effect of severely denaturing much of the problematic delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, (THC) which can induce psychotic symptoms, illicit sources of cannabis usually have a high ratio of THC to the more beneficial compounds of cannabidiol and cannabinol. Therefore, in ignorance: many a doctor can make psychological psycho/social problems worse for a patient by jumping to conclusions as to the underlying primary cause and effect. Even if the doctor avoids this pitfall, the licensed medication he prescribes to replace the drug used illicitly maybe less effective or make the condition worse; thereby destroying the patients faith in his skills. From a medical perspective, quantity and frequency of use are not part of the symptom profile for a diagnosis of either abuse or dependence. As a result, some who use significant quantities of drugs might not be diagnosed with a substance use disorder, while others who use lesser amounts might easily meet the criteria for diagnosis. It is important, however, to point out that even in the absence of a substance use disorder, recreational substance use can still cause significant difficulties. An example of this is an individual using cocaine for the first time, then suffering a cardiac arrhythmia resulting in death. Within the standard medical definitions of abuse and dependence (i.e. addiction), the legality of a given drug does not enter into the diagnostic equation unless an individual is chronically suffering from legal difficulties secondary to ongoing substance use. Those who have medical questions concerning their individual use could contact a specialist in Addiction Medicine. Drugs popularly used for recreation The drugs most popular for recreational use worldwide are, in alphabetical order: Other substances often used for recreational purposes follow: See also | ||||||||
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