Understanding Substance Abuse
Substance Abuse is defined as using a substance, whether it be drugs or alcohol, over and over to achieve the desired effect.
How Did This Happen To Me?
- Family history of addiction
- History of mental illness
- Untreated physical pain
- Peer pressure
Symptoms of Addiction:
- Cycles of increased energy, restlessness, and inability to sleep, usually seen in stimulants
- Abnormally slow movements, speech or reaction time, confusion and disorientation, normally seen in opiates, benzodiazepines and barbiturates
- Sudden weight loss or weight gain
- Cycles of excessive sleep
- Unexpected changes in clothing, such as constantly wearing long sleeved shirts, to hide scarring at injection sites
- Suspected drug paraphernalia such as unexplained pipes, roach clips or syringes
- For snorted drugs, chronic troubles with sinusitis or nosebleeds
- For smoked drugs, a persistent cough or bronchitis, leading to coughing up excessive mucus or blood.
- Progressive severe dental problems (especially with methamphetamine)
- Cycles of being unusually talkative, “up” and cheerful, with seemingly boundless energy.
- Increased irritability, agitation and anger
- Unusual calmness, unresponsiveness or looking “spaced out”
- Apathy and depression
- Paranoia, delusions
- Temporary psychosis, hallucinations
- Lowered threshold for violence