Signs of Drug Addiction
Do you suspect you or a loved one may suffer from a severe substance use disorder? Although the premise that you or one of your loved ones may be one of the thousands of drug abusers that struggle with this disease is scary, you must be aware of the signs of developing an addiction and understand there are treatment and recovery options available. Here are some signs that you or a family member may be suffering from a drug or alcohol addiction:
- Being secretive about the extent of the substance abuse
- Struggling financially as a result of your alcohol and drug consumption
- Health issues
- Making excuses for how much of that substance you’re using
- Craving the substance if you haven’t taken in it for some time
What Happens When You Ignore Drug Addiction?
When you ignore your substance abuse issues, such as alcohol or prescription drug addiction, you risk developing a severe substance use disorder that could negatively affect your life. This is the leading reason why drug and alcohol abusers are encouraged to participate in substance use disorder treatment, which will help them work through their addiction issues.
Depending on the severity of your addiction, you may need to begin your recovery journey in a drug and alcohol detox since you will start to experience withdrawal symptoms. It would help if you always were under the care of a medical professional when you’re experiencing these withdrawal symptoms to ensure you have the care you need. Different types of addiction medicine can be used to offset the harsh impact of withdrawal.
Once you complete detox, you can take advantage of different types of addiction treatments. From inpatient rehab to outpatient addiction treatments, you will have the opportunity to work with your treatment team to ensure that you have access to the tools you need throughout your integrated treatment to work through your addiction.
Learn about the athletes who beat drug addiction here:
Long-Term Effects of Drug Addiction
There are several long-term consequences of not committing to a treatment plan and your overall addiction recovery. Regardless of whether you have an addiction to alcohol or a prescription drug addiction, you put yourself at an increased risk for serious physical and psychological issues which will ultimately impact your quality of life. For example, a person with an alcohol or drug addiction is more likely to suffer from health ailments that can affect their heart, liver, or even their mind in the form of mental illness such as personality disorder, depression, or anxiety.
How to Help Someone With Addiction
Do you suspect one of your loved ones suffers from a substance use disorder? If so, there are several steps you can take to get them the help they need. Remember that the individual may also suffer from a co-occurring disorder, which means that they have a drug or alcohol addiction and a mental health condition impacting their life. Here are some examples of things that you can do when one of your loved ones is suffering from substance abuse:
- Encourage that individual to get on the road to recovery and reach out to an addiction treatment facility in their area.
- Take the time to learn more about how drug or alcohol abuse can impact an individual.
- Recommend that your loved one start on their road to recovery by attending an Alcoholics Anonymous or a Narcotics Anonymous meeting
- Be understanding and recognize that addiction affects every person differently. Pushing your loved ones into alcohol and drug treatment will not get them the help they need.
For more information about our substance abuse treatment programs, don’t hesitate to get in touch with Muse Addiction Treatment Center at (800) 426-1818.
