Substance Use & Misuse

Substance use & Misuse

Using illegal drugs, misusing medications, or consuming excessive amounts of alcohol can impact your recovery and resilience. These are all behaviors that can complicate healing and prolong recovery from physical or psychological wounds, injuries, or illnesses. It can also harm the lives of your friends and family. While doctors often prescribe medications to aid in recovery, medications are often misused as a way to cope with pain, feelings, changed circumstances, or new or complicated medical situations. Alcohol is often misused as well for the same reasons. Prescription drug misuse and abuse is our nation’s fastest growing drug problem. In a typical month, approximately 4.5 million Americans use a prescription pain reliever for nonmedical reasons.¹ Alcohol can complicate healing and should in most cases, be avoided during the recovery process. We have the educational materials and resources to help you understand, avoid, or overcome the negative effects of excessive alcohol use, illegal drug use, and misuse of over-the-counter or prescription medications to support recovery and the return to optimal health.

Substance Use and Misuse

• What is Substance Misuse and Addiction?

Drinking Responsibly

• Does Someone You Know Drink Too Much?
• CDC’s Frequently Asked Questions on Alcohol
• Evaluate Your Drinking with an Anonymous Assessment

Prescription Drug Use

• Steps for Proper Use Poster
• Protect Your Life and Your Career Fact Sheet
• How to Dispose of Medications Properly
• A Guide to Safe Use of Pain Medicine
• Easy-to-Read Drug Facts

Additional Information and Tools

• Navy Alcohol and Drug Abuse Prevention Program (NADAP)
• National Institute on Drug Abuse
• Other Preventing Drug Abuse and Excessive Alcohol Use Resources 

[1] SAMHSA, Results from the 2011 National Survey on Drug Use and Health: Summary of National Findings, NSDUH Series H-44, HHS Publication No. (SMA) 12-4713. Rockville, MD: Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, 2012.

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