A patient has smoked two packs of cigarettes daily for many years. When the patient does not smoke or tries to cut back, anxiety, craving, poor concentration, and headache result. What does this scenario describe?
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C: Substance dependence. This scenario describes a pattern of symptoms indicative of substance dependence, which includes tolerance, withdrawal symptoms when trying to cut back, unsuccessful attempts to quit, and continued use despite negative consequences. The patient's reliance on cigarettes to manage anxiety, craving, poor concentration, and headache indicates a psychological and physical dependence on nicotine.
A: Substance abuse typically involves harmful use of a substance but does not necessarily include physiological dependence.
B: Substance intoxication refers to the immediate effects of a substance in the body, not the long-term pattern of dependence.
D: Recreational use of a social drug implies occasional and non-regular use, which does not align with the described scenario of chronic, daily smoking leading to withdrawal symptoms.