Glosario

Abstinencia: Abstinence is the absence of substance use. There are many different ways to practice abstinence.

• Abstinencia continuada: no consumir la droga de elección durante un periodo de tiempo determinado.
• Esencialmente abstinente: no consumir más de una cantidad determinada de la droga durante un periodo de tiempo.
• Abstinencia mínima: lograr un periodo mínimo de recuperación durante un periodo de tiempo.
• Abstinencia puntual: no consumir la droga de elección en un único momento (por ejemplo, en los últimos 30 días).
• Abstinencia completa: abstinencia continua de todo tipo de alcohol y otras drogas.
• Abstinencia involuntaria: abstinencia forzosa debida a hospitalización o encarcelamiento.

Acute Pain: Pain that usually starts suddenly and has a known cause, like an injury or surgery. It normally gets better as your body heals and lasts less than three months.

Al-Anon: A mutual-help organization or peer support group for people who have been affected by a loved one’s alcohol use disorder. Groups are based on the 12-step principles of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), and have attendees share stories and build supportive networks to help one another cope with the difficulties of having a loved one experience an alcohol use disorder. The focus is placed more on changing oneself and one’s patterns of interacting with the addicted loved one, rather than on trying to change the alcohol-addicted person’s behavior directly.

Alcoholics Anonymous (AA): Alcoholics Anonymous is an international fellowship for individuals with problematic drinking. Founded in 1935, AA is a nonprofessional, financially self-supporting, multiracial, apolitical organization that is open to all ages, and as the largest mutual-help organization, offers meetings in most locations in North America and most countries around the world.

Analgesics: Analgesics are pain relieving medications including over-the-counter medications like acetaminophen (Tylenol®) or ibuprofen (Advil®) and prescription opioids.

Analog: Analogs are drugs that are similar in chemical structure or pharmacologic effect to another drug, but are not identical.

Behavioral Health: Behavioral Health is the field of healthcare concerned with substance use and other mental health disorders.

Benzodiazepines: Benzodiazepines, sometimes called “benzos,” are sedatives often used to treat anxiety, insomnia, and other conditions. Combining benzodiazepines with opioids increases a person’s risk of overdose and death.

Chronic pain: Chronic pain that lasts 3 months or more and can be caused by a disease or condition, injury, medical treatment, inflammation, or an unknown reason.

Co-occuring disorders: The coexistence of both a mental health and a substance use disorder is referred to as co-occurring disorders. The National Institute for Mental Health’s Mental Health Information page has information about specific conditions and disorders as well as their symptoms.