Which of the following individuals is most likely to need professional help for substance abuse?

• A. A college student who occasionally drinks alcohol at social events but does not experience any negative consequences
• B. A teenager who avoids all substances due to personal beliefs
• C. A person who regularly uses prescription painkillers in higher doses than prescribed and has unsuccessfully tried to stop several times
• D. An adult who has tried marijuana once and did not use it again

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand the key criteria for identifying substance abuse, which typically includes patterns of use that lead to significant impairment or distress, such as using substances in larger amounts or over a longer period than intended, unsuccessful efforts to cut down, and continued use despite negative consequences.
2. Step 2: Analyze each individual's behavior in the context of these criteria. For example, occasional social drinking without negative consequences does not usually indicate substance abuse.
3. Step 3: Recognize that avoiding substances entirely, as the teenager does, does not suggest substance abuse.
4. Step 4: Identify that regular use of prescription painkillers in higher doses than prescribed, combined with unsuccessful attempts to stop, fits the pattern of substance abuse and indicates a need for professional help.
5. Step 5: Note that trying marijuana once without continued use or negative consequences does not meet the criteria for substance abuse.