How Is Substance Use Disorder Diagnosed
The first step to diagnosing a drug addiction is recognizing the problem and wanting help. This initial step may start with an intervention from friends or loved ones. Once someone decides to seek help for addiction, the next steps include:
- Complete exam by a healthcare provider.
- Individualized treatment, either inpatient or outpatient.
Accepting The Reality That You Have A Problem Is The First Step
Once you are aware that you are a drug user, it will be easier for you to recover during treatment. If you know that people around you know that you are having an addiction battle and are undergoing a treatment process, do not ever get embarrassed. It is good that everyone knows that you are undergoing treatment because they will be considerate towards you. The people around you will help you recover from addiction in whatever possible way they can.
Loving An Addict Or Alcoholic: How To Help Them And Yourself
When a person struggles with drug or alcohol abuse, they are likely to struggle with mental health issues and physical problems, both short-term and chronic issues.
They are also likely to cause suffering for their loved ones, including spouses, parents, children, friends, and other family.
For those who love someone who is struggling with alcohol or drug abuse, it is important to know the signs of substance abuse problems and how to best help the person in need. In addition, it is important that family members and friends take care of themselves as well.
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How Can I Help
It can feel daunting to confront a mate about their drug use, but its important for friends to help each other. You may feel hurt by things theyve done, but remember that they probably didnt intend to hurt you. Addiction drives the best people to make poor decisions.
Acknowledge that your friend might not see their drug use as a problem
Without an understanding that theres a problem, there wont be a solution. Be honest with your friend about what you think the problem is, and make sure they understand that abusing drugs is a serious issue.
Talk to your friend about your concerns
Talk about the negative effects of addiction in terms of something your friend really cares about. They might not be worried about their health or about getting through uni, but they may really care that someone they love is suffering because of their addiction.
Be positive and let your friend know that youre there for them
Help them stay focused on positive goals that dont include drugs. Support and acknowledge the positive things they do and achieve, and dont abandon your friend when they slip up it will probably take time for them to turn things around.
Avoid using emotional appeals
Dont try to guilt-trip them, and dont preach, bribe or threaten them this will only upset them and push them away.
Warning Signs Of Prescription Drug Abuse
In recent years, prescription drug abuse has become an escalating problem, most commonly involving opioid painkillers, anti-anxiety medications, sedatives, and stimulants. Many people start taking these drugs to cope with a specific medical problemtaking painkillers following injury or surgery, for example. However, over time, increased doses are needed to achieve the same level of pain relief and some users can become physically dependent, experiencing withdrawal symptoms if they try to quit.
One of the earliest warning signs of a developing problem is going through the medication at a faster-than-expected rate. In other cases, people start abusing medication not prescribed for them in order to experience a high, relieve tension, increase alertness, or improve concentration.
To avoid developing problems with a prescription medication, its important to take it only as directed, use the lowest dose for the shortest period possible, and to talk to your doctor about other methods of treating the problem. Being aware of any signs of dependency can help identify prescription drug problems at an early stage and help to prevent them progressing into an addiction.
Warning signs of commonly abused prescription drugs
Anti-anxiety medications, sedatives, and hypnotics : Contracted pupils drunk-like, slurred speech, difficulty concentrating, clumsiness poor judgment, drowsiness, slowed breathing.
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Reaching Out For Support
Talk to your doctor, health professional, counsellor or drug and alcohol service about your decision to quit. Be honest about your situation. Support from a friend or family member can also help.
You can talk to someone in confidence at Counselling Online see their website for more information and for the phone number for your region.
Addiction is also associated with depression and anxiety. Contact Beyond Blue 24 hours a day on 1300 224 636.
Your doctor can refer you to a treatment service. You can also contact some services directly. Call the Alcohol and Drug Foundation on 1300 85 85 84 to find out about these services.
Dont Wait To Take Supportive Actions
Denial can happen for the addict and for the family and friends involved too. It can be a lot easier to put off actions and conversations, but that means missed opportunities for early healing and greater risks of physical, psychological, emotional, and life damage. The diverse effects of drug addiction can be devastating.
Work through any barriers rather than against them:
- Respect the persons privacy as you take steps forward toward treatment
- Share what you learn about the treatment center so they know what to expect
- Remember that their recovery is about prioritizing their higher personal goalsnot your goals for them
- Recognize that, even when it means time away from work, rehab really is the next best thing for their career too
Even if the person you care about is resistant and, so far, blocking your attempts to connect them with real help, you can always call a treatment center for advice.
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Whos Most Likely To Become Addicted
Each persons body and brain are different. People also react differently to drugs. Some love the feeling the first time they try it and want more. Others hate it and never try again.
Not everyone who uses drugs becomes addicted. But it can happen to anyone and at any age. Some things may raise your chances of addiction, including:
- Family history. Your genes are responsible for about half of your odds. If your parents or siblings have problems with alcohol or drugs, youre more likely as well. Women and men are equally likely to become addicted.
- Early drug use. Childrens brains are still growing, and drug use can change that. So taking drugs at an early age may make you more likely to get addicted when you get older.
- Mental disorders. If youre depressed, have trouble paying attention, or worry constantly, you have a higher chance of addiction. You may turn to drugs as a way to try to feel better. A history of trauma in your life also makes you more likely to have addiction.
- Troubled relationships. If you grew up with family troubles and arent close to your parents or siblings, it may raise your chances of addiction.
Continued
You may have one or more of these warning signs:
Increasing The Number Of Your Sober Or Clean Friends
Just like good family relationships bolster your chance of successful addiction treatment, good peer relationships help you recover and stay sober.
It works the other way as well. If your friends do drugs, you are more likely to do drugs. The more of those negative ties that you maintain, the more you sink your chance for a successful recovery.16
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Causes & Risk Factors
People become addicted because of a combination of factors.
- Genetic factors: Some people may inherit a vulnerability to the addictive properties of drugs.
- How drugs interact with the brain: People use alcohol and other drugs because they stimulate the brain in ways that “feel good.” This immediate rewarding experience makes people want to repeat it. All substances with addictive potential stimulate the release of dopamine, a chemical in the brain that is associated with reward and pleasure.
- Environment: Peoples’ home and community and the attitude of their peers, family and culture toward substance use can influence whether or not they develop substance use problems. People who experience prejudice or marginalization may use substances to cope with feelings of trauma or social isolation.
- Mental health issues: More than 50 per cent of people with substance use disorders have also had mental health problems at some point during their lifetimes. When people have mental health problems, even limited substance use can worsen the problem.
- Coping with thoughts and feelings: People may turn to substances as a way of coping with difficult emotions or situations. They start to rely on substances to regulate their emotions
Risk factors for substance use problems in youth include:
- alcohol or other drug problems among family members
- poor school performance
The protective factors for substance use problems include:
Ways You Can Help Your Partner Get Over Drug Addiction
We cant decide whats more unfortunate the fact that a staggering portion of the country falls prey to substance abuse and addiction or that this is a problem thats brushed under the carpet. Were all familiar with how horrible addiction to drugs can be to the individual but what happens when the addict is in a relationship? If you thought that your addictions and their effects were contained within yourself, you were wrong! Thanks to drugs, countless relationships are ruined every day. But what do you do when your partner is an addict? Well, its time we addressed that. We will tell you how to help your husband with drug addiction. If you want to support a spouse in addiction recovery, then here are a few things you should do.
First things first: addicts are not beyond our help. But being in a relationship with an addict is a tough job. And yes, there are things that you, as a partner, can do to make life easier for them. That said, this isnt a walk in the park. It involves coming up with a plan, being disciplined, and most importantly the patient. We dont want you to go through your partner hotboxing the room every day, selling furniture to buy drugs, and making you feel guilty for their state. You need to be level headed and take measured steps to survive addiction in relationships.
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How Medications Help With Addiction Treatment
Medication can make it easier for recovering addicts to stay sober. Many people trying to give up drugs or alcohol relapse because they cant cope with withdrawal symptoms.
Certain medications can mimic the effects of addictive drugs, which relieves withdrawal symptoms and cravings.
Medications for addiction treatment may be prescribed as part of an inpatient or outpatient rehab program. Doctors may adjust dosages during the course of treatment to ensure that addicted people have the best chance of achieving sobriety.
Featured Centers Offering Medication-Assisted Treatment
Bicycle Health Online Treatment for Opioid Addiction
Boston, MA
What Is Substance Abuse Disorder
Substance abuse disorder, or drug addiction, can be defined as a progressive disease that causes people to lose control of the use of some substance despite worsening consequences of that use. Substance use disorder can be life-threatening.
Addictions are not problems of willpower or morality. Addiction is a powerful and complex disease. People who have an addiction to drugs cannot simply quit, even if they want to. The drugs change the brain in a way that makes quitting physically and mentally difficult. Treating addiction often requires lifelong care and therapy.
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Take Our Substance Abuse Self
Take our free, 5-minute substance abuse self-assessment below if you think you or someone you love might be struggling with substance abuse. The evaluation consists of 11 yes or no questions that are intended to be used as an informational tool to assess the severity and probability of a substance use disorder. The test is free, confidential, and no personal information is needed to receive the result.
Drug Addiction Recovery Timeline
For anyone considering treatment for drug addiction, it is only natural to wonder how long it will take to get over drug addiction. The first step in facing drug addiction and entering recovery is to realize that drug addiction is a brain disease that never entirely goes away. If drug addiction were only bad habit, it would be much easier to treat. Drug addiction is a threatening brain disease that is most often supported by behavioral challenges as well as by mental disorders.
The hard facts are that the brain enjoys the euphoria caused by drugs. This simple reality will threaten the drug addict in recovery as long as he or she lives. This fact places emphasis on the addicts recovery and should make it clear that even after the addiction is treated the drug addict is at risk of relapse.
Psychologists say that it takes 21 days of conscious and consistent effort to develop a new habit. But, 21 days is not enough to get over drug addiction. The recovering addict needs to reset the brain and change certain behavioral patterns that led to drug use in the past.
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Overcoming An Addiction: The 6 Steps On The Road To Drug Recovery
Every individuals addiction recovery journey is different, but the majority of people follow a similar path. The steps that are often involved in drug recovery include reaching a bottom,followed by the decision to overcome their addiction. Then the early stage that involves mental and physical adjustments to life without drugs until it gradually becomes the norm. Along the path, the person works on the problems that led them to turn to drugs in the first place, which helps them to gain more fortitude than they have ever experienced.
It is important to remember that everyone is different. It is equally as important for a person going through drug recovery to be honest with themselves about what they are going through and how they are feeling and to use the recovery tools that are beneficial to them.
What Is Alcoholism And Drug Abuse
Today we can see many youngsters or even adults who are so much consumed by substance abuse. Substance abuse includes addiction to alcohol, drugs, and other chemical products. These types of things have a direct effect on the human body and mind. It is rightly said excess of everything is bad and if the amount of alcohol and drugs are consumed it can even lead to death. Alcohol lowers anxiety and inhibitions if taken in controlled amounts but can also lead to loss of coordination and slurred speech if taken in more amounts. Drugs on the other hand have side effects like reduced memory, not able to think properly, insomnia, etc. Alcohol mixed with other drugs can prove lethal.
In order to get rid of this addiction one certainly needs to reduce the consumption of drugs and alcohol. However, sometimes the situation worsens so much that it is not in the patients hand to control it. Here comes the term, Alcohol rehab Centre and Drug Detox Centre. Rehab centres are places which help you in recovering from substance abuse.
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How To Overcome Food Addiction
The effects of certain foods on the brain make it hard for some people to avoid them.
Food addiction operates similarly to other addictions, which explains why some people cant control themselves around certain foods no matter how hard they try.
Despite not wanting to, they may repeatedly find themselves eating large amounts of unhealthy foods knowing that doing so may cause harm.
This article examines food addiction and provides tips to overcome it.
Food addiction is an addiction to junk food and comparable to drug addiction.
Its a relatively new and controversial term, and high quality statistics on its prevalence are lacking .
Food addiction is similar to several other disorders, including binge eating disorder, bulimia, compulsive overeating, and other feeding and eating disorders.
SUMMARY
Food addiction is a highly controversial concept, though most studies suggest it exists. It works similarly to drug addiction.
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Processed junk foods have a powerful effect on the reward centers of the brain. These effects are caused by brain neurotransmitters like dopamine .
The most problematic foods include typical junk foods like candy, sugary soda, and high fat fried foods.
Food addiction is not caused by a lack of willpower but believed to be caused by a dopamine signal that affects the biochemistry of the brain .
SUMMARY
Food addiction is thought to involve the same neurotransmitters and areas of the brain as drug addiction.
Articles On Opioid Abuse
Opioid addiction is a chronic medical condition. It can create long-term changes to your brain. Luckily, early treatment intervention can help you avoid some of the long-term health conditions associated with addiction to opioids.
It takes much more than willpower to break free of prescription drug abuse, but you can escape the cycle of detox and relapse. It may be a long-term process, but medications and counseling can improve your chances of success. Heroin is also an opioid and addiction to it is treated similarly to prescription drug addiction.
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Is Drug Addiction And Drug Abuse The Same Thing
Drug abuse refers to the use of prescription or illegal drugs for pleasure. People who abuse drugs are usually able to change their habits and stop abusing drugs.
On the other hand, drug addiction is a chronic mental disorder in which the user cannot stop seeking the drug of choice. The urge to consume such drugs can fill up their entire day, making them unable to quit.
