Substance Use and Substance Use Disorders

Abstract

The misuse of certain substances including alcohol, cannabis, opioid pain medication, and prescribed and over-the-counter stimulants is more common in athletes in certain sports compared to the general population. Sports medicine and mental health providers will routinely encounter substance misuse and less often encounter substance use disorders in active athletes, retired athletes, and active or retired coaches. This chapter will review the common patterns of use of the most prevalent substances and will discuss case examples outlining treatment of substance misuse and use disorders. An Integrated Recovery Model is utilized to ensure that the main recovery barriers and/or relapse triggers are addressed in the treatment plan. Finally, areas for future research are emphasized.