Substance use disorder is defined as an illness that impairs an individual’s capacity to operate without the use of drugs or alcohol. A person suffering from substance abuse disorder cannot control their desire to take legal or illicit substances.
Some medicines create addiction more quickly than others. Addiction can begin with prescription drugs or even with innocent experimentation. Even if they are aware of the hazards, someone with a substance abuse issue will continue to take the substances.
The issue with drug addiction is that you won’t realize you’re falling down the rabbit hole until you’re already there. As your body becomes accustomed to the drugs, you will require higher amounts to achieve a high. You will find it difficult to operate without the medicines as the dosage grows. When you stop using drugs, you will experience cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Combating drug addiction needs the assistance of those around you. You may require the assistance of a medical professional, loved ones, friends, or support groups. Haven House Recovery Center, for example, may assist an addict in living an addiction-free life.
Substance Use Disorder Symptoms
Drugs are pretty potent. It can upend a person’s life, producing rifts in their relationships, work, and health. Keeping an eye out for the following indications may help prevent addiction from worsening.
The following are some signs of drug abuse:
- Wanting to quit but unable to do so
- Cravings were intense for most of the day
- need more medications to get high
- Keeping a supply of the medications on hand
- You don’t have to spend money to receive the medications.
- Doing unlawful actions to obtain drugs
- Missing work or family obligations
- When you try to quit, you may experience withdrawal symptoms
The Most Commonly Abused Substance in the United States
As previously said, substance misuse affects a considerable portion of the US population – 19.3 million people reported having a drug issue in 2019. As sourced from an expert in addiction recovery in Clarksville, the following are the most often misused drugs in the United States:
Nicotine is a highly addictive chemical substance found in tobacco. Nicotine addiction may not look as harmful as other narcotics, but it is. Smoking tobacco is where people usually get their nicotine fix. Because tobacco is smoked by about 40 million individuals in the United States, it is responsible for more deaths than any other addictive drug despite being legal.
While alcohol can cause uncontrollable intoxication and withdrawal symptoms, it can dramatically raise a person’s chance of acquiring major health problems. Drinking occasionally can influence mood, behavior, and coordination without negatively impacting one’s health, but excessive drinking can have life-threatening consequences.
According to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), heavy drinking is defined as consuming more than five drinks on one occasion with a BAC of more than 0.08 g/dL, placing one at risk of developing an alcohol use disorder (AUD). The SAMHSA recommends the following criteria for diagnosing an AUD: issues managing alcohol intake, prolonged use of alcohol despite problems caused by drinking, tolerance development, drinking that leads to unsafe circumstances, or the development of withdrawal symptoms. The severity of a condition is then determined by how many criteria are satisfied.
Pain relievers are another often overused medicine. Addiction to it may not appear to be a problem at first. In fact, most individuals don’t realize they’re hooked to prescription pain relievers until they stop using them.
The most widely prescribed medicines to treat pain are Oxycontin, Codeine, and Vicodin.
Heroin addiction is on the rise at an alarming rate. Overcoming heroin addiction is a challenging endeavor because of the intense withdrawal symptoms. A mix of drugs and counseling is required to address cravings and withdrawal symptoms.
Cannabis is the third most commonly used drug in the United States, behind alcohol and cigarettes. Short-term impacts include skewed perception, trouble thinking, problem-solving, and lack of motor coordination, while long-term problems include respiratory infections, decreased memory, and exposure to cancer-causing chemicals.
Marijuana usage among adolescents has also been associated with an increased risk of developing mental disorders and impaired cognitive performance. These symptoms include impairments in function, tolerance, cravings, and withdrawal symptoms.
While the use of cannabis for medical or recreational purposes is legal in certain places, the adverse effects can create psychosis and social anxiety. Furthermore, when cannabis is treated with pesticides and herbicides, the toxins are absorbed into the user’s system. While acute consequences are unknown, chronic exposure has been related to some disorders, including respiratory illness, neurological disease, diabetes, birth abnormalities, fertility and reproductive difficulties, and several types of cancer.
Crack cocaine has devastated many people’s lives. Cocaine addiction is on the decline in the United States. However, the number of cocaine users remains alarmingly high.
Stress and anxiety are managed using benzodiazepines or mood-regulating drugs such as Xanax, Klonopin, Valium, and Diazepam. People who take these medications are often unaware they are addicted to them.
Benzos have a significant impact on the chemical composition of the brain. As a result, when detoxing, a person will require medical treatment. Withdrawals from this sort of medicine can be fatal.
Substance abuse disorder (also known as drug addiction) is a mental illness that results in a person being unable to control the use of legal or illegal drugs or medicines. Legal substances like alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine are also classified as drugs. The danger of addiction and the rate at which you get hooked differ depending on the drug. When you’re hooked, you may continue to take the substance despite the consequences. Some medicines, such as opioid pain relievers, are more dangerous and lead to addiction more quickly than others.
To overcome your drug addiction and remain drug-free, you may require assistance from your doctor, family, friends, support groups, or an organized treatment program.
