One of the myths about substance addiction is that it is seen as black-or-white; you are either addicted or you’re not. However, substance use, or even abuse, does not always mean you are addicted. And it may be affecting none, some, or much of the many aspects of your life. Addiction to a substance happens in stages and often times people can function while using and and still damage aspects of their lives. Today we will discuss what addiction and substance abuse can look like and when you should seek a substance use consultation.
While using substances isn’t doesn’t always lead to addiction, seeking help from Red Willow will help people look at their use, and if needed, develop a plan to take back control. Our team is always willing to have a substance use consultation with a person to see if their use is a problem and create options to address it. It’s always best to address a problem early before it gets out of control. We suggest to “Revive before Rehab”.
What Classifies As Addiction?
Many people believe that if you can function in society while using substances, you are not addicted. However, people can hold down a job, stay out of jail, and maintain a relationship and can be in a cycle of abuse. Similar to other chronic conditions, addiction, and substance use will go through progressive stages as it increases in severity.
Drug use can start with experimental or recreational use for social situations, and then it may become more frequent. Some drugs have a higher risk of becoming addictive than others. As time passes, use can become frequent and consistent, and then become more and more prevalent and even a higher priority than other areas of your life. Some symptoms of addiction are:
- Tolerance, meaning you need more to get the same effect
- Efforts to cut back or stop are unsuccessful
- Frequent and significant cravings
- Spending a lot of time getting, using and recovering from your use
- Continued use despite having negative effects
Any of these may be a sign that you should seek additional help. If you are experiencing these, you should ask yourself, “Is my relationship with substances problematic? Should I seek additional help to improve my relationship with substances?” Getting a Substance Use Consultation can be helpful to you and prevent continued harm.
Substance Abuse Impact On Areas Of Your Life
It can be difficult to define your relationship with addictive substances, but looking at how it impacts all areas of your social, emotional, and physical health are good place to start. Signs and symptoms will vary depending on the type of drug. Here are some examples of when you may want to consider a substance abuse consultation.
Financial
Once a person is reliant on substances, they may start to spend significant money on getting their drug. This could lead to asking for large amounts of money from family members, stealing, or racking up credit card debt. While financial problems are not always connected to substance use, risky behaviors can also be a sign of substance abuse and contribute to financial problems.
Health & Medical
Substance use that affects your physical health is a clear sign you should seek additional help. Lack of sleep, lack of exercise or movement, disrupted sleep, exacerbated health issues, increased risk of sickness, and extreme fatigue can all be a sign of addiction.
Mental
Mental and physical health go hand in hand. Drugs may inhibit you from thinking clearly which could result in rash and poor decision making. They may also affect your memory and ability to plan and prioritize your day. Substance use can also decrease your mental stamina. Seeing our therapist for a consultation can help you determine if your use is impacting your brain functioning.
Legal
Risky behaviors and activities are another sign of substance abuse. Performing acts that you normally won’t do, such as stealing, speeding, reckless driving, vandalism, fighting, etc. could get you into legal trouble. Some substances are also illegal to use recreationally, which could lead to jail time or an infraction on your record. Getting a DUI is almost certain to indicate that your use is out of control.
Emotional
Irrational and emotionally based reactions can also come from substance abuse. Increases in anxiety and depression during substance use could be a reason to seek therapy. Having a substance abuse consultation can help you formulate a plan to form better habits and ensure that drug use doesn’t destabilize your mood, or make you quick to anger or get defensive. Substances can also impact your emotional well-being by increasing symptoms of mental illness or leading to irrational thoughts that disconnect you from your loved ones.
Work & School
Missing work or school or failing to meet expectations at these places is a sign you need a substance abuse consultation. When a substance starts to demand this much of your attention, it can be considered an addiction. Skipping work or recreational activities should be additional signs of concern, as well as getting fired or having difficulty finding a job.
Relationships
All of us have different relationships in our lives. Family, friends, partners, co-workers, and more can all be affected by our use. Navigating healthy relationships can be hard enough without the influence of drugs, but substance abuse can lead to overreactions, distance, hurtful words, mistreatment, loss of trust, and instability. Substance use that causes you to lose important relationships in your life can be a sign of a deep dependence. If a friend or family member tells you that they are concerned, it is a clear indicator that your use is problematic.
Recreation
Those who start to lose interest in their favorite hobbies or activities could be struggling with addiction. A person can prioritize their use of substances over doing things that they once enjoyed. Sometimes a person loses interest in their activities and becomes bored with them compared to their drug use. Going out with friends or coworkers is a healthy work-life balance that helps us to improve our mood. Substance abuse can limit the time you have or want to spend with others.
How Do I Know If I Need A Substance Use Consultation?
If substances have made any impact on multiple of the areas listed above, you can benefit from a conversation with one of our specialists. A consultation doesn’t have to mean you are addicted or controlled by substances. It can help you better understand your relationship with substances and formulate a plan to improve your mental, physical, and emotional health.
If during your consultation you discover that your use is problematic, our therapists and substance use specialists can help you develop ways to cope with withdrawal, decrease your substance use to a more normal level, or even eliminate it from your life. Sometimes we suggest a 30 to 90 day “cleanse” to see how you feel with substances not impacting you. We can look at ways for you to get help in and out of a therapy setting.
If you notice substances are making a large impact in all of these areas, you should seek more professional help, including outpatient therapy, and IOP, or even residential treatment. Seeking more aggressive treatment may be necessary if you have already tried to quit substances on your own.
Red Willow encourages anyone who is considering a consultation to schedule one. We work hard to make every patient feel seen and heard during appointments and want your goals to be the focus of our meetings. Ultimately, you get to decide what you are willing to do and not to do to improve your life.
Learn more about all our services on our website or contact our Salt Lake or Park City locations.
