Which term best describes a state where active symptoms of a substance use disorder are no longer present?

• A. Remission
• B. Sober
• C. Risk factor
• D. Shame

Answer: (A)

Remission describes a state in which a substance use disorder is no longer active, meaning the individual does not meet the diagnostic criteria for the disorder during a defined period. In clinical terms, there are distinctions like early remission and sustained remission, depending on how long the person has been without meeting the criteria. This concept captures the idea that symptoms have diminished to the point that the disorder is not currently present, though recovery can continue and relapse remains possible.

Sober is a common, informal way people describe abstaining from substances, but it isn’t a precise clinical term and doesn’t specify how long abstinence has lasted or whether any criteria for a disorder are met. A risk factor is anything that increases the likelihood of developing a disorder or relapsing, not a description of the current state of the disorder. Shame is an emotional feeling, not a clinical state of illness or remission.