Drug addiction is more than a simple overuse of drugs. It’s a complex mental illness and physical dependence on drugs that inhibits normal functioning. Often, drug abuse starts as a way to treat a mental or physical ailments without going to a doctor and getting a diagnosis. In time, you build up a tolerance to your drug of choice, and it takes more and more of it to get the same high or pain relief. Your body becomes dependent on the drug to feel normal, and you get sick without it. It starts to become more important than anything else, and you can’t help but obsess about having it, getting it, and doing it all day, every day.
Nobody starts abusing substances thinking it’s going to ruin their lives. Nobody wants to develop a sickness they’ll have for the rest of their lives just from doing a few seemingly harmless drugs, but that’s exactly what happens. Substance Use Disorder (SUD) is a disease, and we can help you get the appropriate treatment.
What Not to Do If Your Loved One Is Suffering From SUD
Many older Americans grew thinking that addiction is a choice. You choose to take the first hit or shot, but by the time you develop an addiction, it’s no longer a choice. It’s a compulsion that takes rehab and years of psychiatric treatment and therapy to recover from. You have to be careful when dealing with someone in the grips of addiction when they’re in a downward spiral. They aren’t thinking clearly, aren’t making sensible decisions. If you’re dealing with a loved one’s addiction, never invalidate their disease. It can’t be cured, and it can only be treated. They’ll have to live with this for the rest of their lives, and disregarding their suffering is hugely damaging.How to Identify SUD
The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM–5) shows readers how to identify and categorize drug abuse, drug dependence, and SUD. Signs of simple substance abuse include certain behaviors such as the following:- The hazardous use of drugs
- Social and interpersonal consequences and problems related to use
- Neglecting responsibilities and major roles to use
- Legal consequences for using drugs.
- Withdrawal symptoms after coming down from a high
- Increasing tolerance to drugs
- Using larger amounts of drugs for longer periods of time
- Unsuccessful attempts to quit getting high
- Spending extended time using drugs
- Physical or mental illness caused by drugs
- Giving up activities to get high
- Hazardous use of controlled substances
- Social and interpersonal problems from drug use
- Neglecting responsibilities
- Withdrawal symptoms
- Increased tolerance
- Spending more time using drugs
- Inability to quit
- Using more amounts of drugs for longer periods of time
- Health problems and mental illness related to drug use
- Avoiding activities where drug use isn’t possible
- Cravings and obsessive thoughts