Recognizing the grey area between casual fun and addiction is a difficult task. For most users, acknowledging they have an addiction is possibly the most difficult step.
A common misconception is that addicts are just old homeless men you’ll find under bridges.
However, addiction can be a problem for just about anyone; regardless of the gender, age, race or social standing. Compulsive alcohol or drug seeking behavior needs professional help from a reputed institute such as A Better Today Recovery Services.
If you are unsure of where you stand, here are six signs that will help you decide if you have a problem.
1. You Are Having Second Thoughts About Your Habits
If you are constantly wondering if your drinking or drug usage habits are normal, it can indicate a problem. It is quite common for those struggling with alcohol and drug abuse to have second thoughts about what they are doing. If you take an honest look at your habits and it is worrying you, it’s a tell-tale sign that you might need help.
2. The Substance is Your Main Focus
If drinking or using drugs is your main thought and you spend a considerable amount of time, effort and money to get them, it’s a sign you are addicted.
As you fall deeper into addiction, activities and things you were once interested and involved in will start to take a back seat.
Have you been spending less time with your friends and family or participating in things you once enjoyed? Most of the time, alcoholics and drug users distance themselves from friends and people close to them, instead choosing to be with similar alcoholics and drug users. Take a look at yourself and ask yourself if this is what you are doing.
3. Your Lifestyles Resulted in Health Issues
Substance abuse results in a number of health problems. Alcohol abuse is known to cause long term liver issues and cancer. The specific effects of drug abuse depend on what type of drug you are using but they all cause adverse effects on your physical and mental health.
The effects on your health can range from minor to fatal, depending on the duration of usage and the dosage.
Your mental health will also be affected by the use of drugs and other substances. This could range from panic attacks and increased paranoia to agitation and depression. More often than not, it will change your behavior and the way you think. If you and people around you observe such changes in your behavior, you should consider rehab. If the symptoms are on the severe side of the scale, medical or psychological attention might be necessary.
4. You Need More to Get High
When an individual uses a drug for the first time, the body isn’t used to it and feels the effects much more intensely. Think of your first drink, or when you drank in your early 20s, it took a lot less to get you drunk. It’s for this reason that the first high is always considered the best.
As the body is exposed to the drug and its effects, it starts to develop a tolerance towards it. When the drug is used repeatedly, the tolerance grows stronger and you will require higher dosages to achieve the same effect.
This exposes you to the risk of overdosing. Losing your life for a high is not worth it. If you are using excessively, you are at a high risk of overdosing and need to enter rehab immediately.
5. Mental Illness
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, self medication for a mental health issue is the main reason for the introduction and continuance of drug usage. The drugs are used as a way of coping and self-medicating since they change how the mind thinks and behave.
Treating the underlying condition can help one get off their reliance on drugs. The process is quite complex as the individual needs to be treated for the mental illness as well as the drug addiction, but if the underlying issue is not addressed, relapse is more likely to occur.
6. You Couldn’t to Cut Out the Addiction
Addiction can be described as a chronic disease with ups (recovery) and downs (relapse). If you have tried to cut the habit out on your own, without success, then you should consider help from other alternatives. Whenever the you relapse, it is important to recommit abstaining in different ways in order to recover. When it is up to you alone, it might be too difficult to control yourself.
Many people attempt self-help groups and out-patient treatment or simply going cold turkey. These might be sufficient enough for your needs, but of course, it depends on your history of addiction. It’s always helpful to have support.
If your past shows poor results when it comes to quitting on your own or with methods like outpatient care, you must think about rehab. Rehab centers can provide the safety, stability and the medical attention that you need to kick addiction to the curb once and for all.
