Substance Use Disorders

Substance use disorders are self-inflicted indulgences, often resulting in addictions. Alcohol and opioid use and abuse have plagued Americans throughout history, notably during the nineteenth century, during periods of war, and during recent years referrable to heroin, prescription drug, and synthetic opioid (fentanyl) abuse. Dramatic periods of history, including the Prohibition era, are an integral part of the American experience referable to alcohol use disorder. The substance use disorders discussed in this chapter, along with their historical names and monikers, are: Alcohol Use Disorder (Barrel Fever) and Opioid Use Disorder (Laudanum Euphoria, Soldier’s Disease).