You may have heard that drug abuse is not good for your health and finances. After all, the phrase uses "abuse", which has a negative implication. However, you may not realize the amount of danger that substance abuse presents until it is too late. Substance abuse is a mental health disorder that healthcare systems are struggling to solve. Many people are not ready to admit they need help, and authorities and other stakeholders may not realize the gravity of the situation. If you recognize you have a substance abuse problem, you can seek treatment in a specialized facility. This article gives a few warning signs to help you realize you or your loved ones need substance abuse treatment.
Misplaced Priorities
As a mental health issue, substance abuse affects a person's judgment. You may change your priorities and increase the time and resources you use for drugs and drug-related activities. In addition, you may lose interest in activities that do not involve substance abuse. For example, you may miss work or postpone social functions to use drugs instead. A rational person would not fall for such temptations. If you find your priorities misplaced, perhaps you should seek substance abuse treatment.
Poor Health
Substance abuse directly causes many health issues, depending on the drugs you use. For example, smoking discolors your teeth and results in poor dental health. Substance abuse also exposes you to different diseases. For example, excessive alcohol consumption makes your immune system weak, which may expose you to various infections. While such diseases may be short-term and temporary, several conditions are permanent and lethal. For example, abusing substances such as tobacco and steroids causes cancer in the mouth, neck, lungs, testicles, and stomach. Other substances such as cocaine, ketamine, salvia, and heroin cause dangerous neurological effects such as seizures and stroke. If you experience the symptoms of such diseases, ensure you seek substance abuse treatment. This treatment is also essential if you are already under treatment for a specific condition and the substances impede your recovery.
Increased Tolerance
If you take a new substance, your body reacts to counter the effects. Your body systems get overwhelmed at first, but they respond to counter the effects. Therefore, you may have to increase the amount of drugs you take to feel the same way you did the first time. As your tolerance grows, you put yourself at the risk of an overdose. For example, depressants such as heroin can slow your pulse and breathing rate, which may cause a coma or death. Therefore, ensure you seek substance abuse treatment when your tolerance level increases.
Addiction
You may use various substances for recreation and quit anytime you want. However, some drugs are addictive and leave you with the urge to continue. This pattern is common with prescription medicines that contain opiates. If you finish your prescription and still feel the need to continue taking the drug, ensure you seek substance abuse treatment. You can also seek treatment for withdrawal symptoms. The doctors can assist you by recommending a detoxification program and various tactics for managing the withdrawal symptoms.
Contact a company like Comprehensive Counseling Services to learn more.
For a long time, I wasn't sure if my counseling was really working or not. It felt like no matter what I did, I just couldn't stay on top of my personal frustrations, so I started addressing those concerns with my counselor. I was able to find a counselor who really understood what I was up against, and it was really neat to talk with her about everything that I was having a hard time with. We chatted about everything in my life ranging from the initial issues I started having to my daily struggles at work, and I felt like those early talks were helping a lot. On this blog, find out more about working with counselors and making things right.