It may help to get an independent perspective from someone you trust and who knows you well. You can start by discussing your substance use with your primary care provider. Or ask for a referral to a specialist in drug addiction, such as a licensed alcohol and drug counselor, or a psychiatrist or psychologist. Many people with alcohol use disorder hesitate to get treatment because they don’t recognize that they have a problem. An intervention from loved ones can help some people recognize and accept that they need professional help. If you’re concerned about someone who drinks too much, ask a professional experienced in alcohol treatment for advice on how to approach that person.
Coping With a Substance Use Disorder
Two groups of synthetic drugs what is the best treatment for substance abuse for older adults — synthetic cannabinoids and substituted or synthetic cathinones — are illegal in most states. The effects of these drugs can be dangerous and unpredictable, as there is no quality control and some ingredients may not be known. The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted varies by drug.
What are the types of addiction?
Maintaining sobriety after treatment for substance use is no small undertaking. It’s a lifelong journey involving continually learning how to apply new coping skills to everyday life. When an opioid overdose is suspected, naloxone hydrochloride should be administered as soon as possible.
Maryville Addiction Treatment Center Celebrates its 75th Anniversary and Transition to Maryville Integrated Care
In an opioid overdose, a medicine called naloxone can be given by emergency responders, or in some states, by anyone who witnesses an overdose. Withdrawal from different categories of drugs — such as depressants, stimulants or opioids — produces different side effects and requires different approaches. Detox may involve gradually reducing the dose of the drug or temporarily substituting other substances, such as methadone, buprenorphine, or a combination of buprenorphine and naloxone. Consider how a social drinker can become intoxicated, get behind the wheel of a car, and quickly turn a pleasurable activity into a tragedy that affects many lives. Occasional drug use, such as misusing an opioid to get high, can have similarly disastrous effects, including impaired driving and overdose.
- So you might need to take more of the drug to get the same good feeling.
- Illicit substances are expensive, so you may notice the user has unexplained financial issues.
- Some people may start to feel the need to take more of a drug or take it more often, even in the early stages of their drug use.
- Thiamine is critical for energy production and serves as a cofactor in many enzymatic reactions regulating glucose utilization by mitochondria, the power factories inside all cells.
- But which of these factors has the biggest influence in any one person cannot be determined in all cases.
- They can show changes in movement patterns—depending on the type of substance involved, psychomotor retardation (heroin) or jumpiness (cocaine).
Signs you may have a drug problem:
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a problematic pattern of substance use that affects your health and well-being. Some of the most common substances include alcohol, opioids and marijuana. Substance use disorder is a mental health disorder in which a person continually uses drugs or alcohol even though it is causing physical, psychological, and/or personal harm. The causes of substance use disorder are unknown, but risk factors have been identified.
- Men and women are equally likely to develop drug addictions.
- When you’re addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.
- They’re often used and misused in search of a “high,” or to boost energy, to improve performance at work or school, or to lose weight or control appetite.
- Your provider will ask you (and possibly your loved ones) questions about your patterns of substance use or problematic behaviors.
Navigate Treatment Types
People with a dual diagnosis often have symptoms that are more severe, persistent, and resistant to treatment than those with an SUD alone. Similar events can occur in the lives of people without an addiction problem. But these can become more common when an addiction is present. Before approaching someone you think may have an addition, determine if the problem is a result of a single incident or a growing problem with the addiction. In the middle or later stages of an addiction, the negative effects will be more permanent or have long-term consequences.
Signs of Abuse Related to Specific Drugs
A combination of medication and behavioral therapy has been found to have the highest success rates in preventing relapse and promoting recovery. Forming an individualized treatment plan with your healthcare provider’s help is likely to be the most effective approach. Substance abuse has many potential consequences, including overdose and death.
Signs and Symptoms of Addiction
Each person responds differently, and reactions are hard to predict. Many people who are directed to go to the emergency department may not have any physical signs of poisoning. Some doctors’ offices are equipped to handle overdoses; others are not. Some doctors’ offices advise their patients to go to a hospital’s emergency department.