Substance use disorder

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/substance-use-disorder

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is substance use disorder?Substance use disorder is a long‑term brain condition that makes people want to use drugs or alcohol even when it causes problems. It changes how the brain’s reward system works.
2. Why do people keep using drugs even when it hurts them?Drugs give the brain a big burst of a chemical called dopamine, which feels very good. Over time the brain gets used to this high level and stops feeling pleasure from normal things, so people keep looking for the drug.

Neuroadaptation: Changes in the brain's structure and function in response to repeated exposure to a substance.
Anhedonia: The reduced ability to experience pleasure from normally enjoyable activities, often seen in SUD.
Harm Reduction: Strategies aimed at reducing the negative consequences associated with substance use without necessarily demanding abstinence.