The pattern of psychoactive substance use can be described as hazardous when it poses a high risk for future physical or mental damage or it could be classified as harmful when it has already caused the person to experience various physiological, cognitive or behavioural effects due to them finding it difficult to control the strong desire to keep on using the substance.
Following are broad patterns of substance use:
- Experimental use
- Recreational use
- “Binge” use
