Substance Abuse

Help For Substance Abuse

1. Substance Abuse Is a Dis-ease

Substance abuse is a dis-ease. People who abuse substances have an illness. If not excessive use of alcohol will cause problems both emotionally and physical.
Excessive use of alcohol and drugs can cause dependency and even death. The physical death of a person as a result of substance abuse is frequent. A longer slower and more painful death comes from abusing substances.

2. Getting Help

Getting help for addiction can come from a group or a trusted friend. Mostly it comes from within and from recognizing that we have a problem. Believing and trusting self enough to seek help can make a difference in how long we progress negatively. Abuse of alcohol and drugs creates a dependency that makes it hard to walk away from the substance of choice regardless to the dangers.

3. Persistence

When seeking help from overcoming substance issues be prepared to be persistent. As you become strong enough to think clearly you may subconsciously begin to reject the toxins entering your body. This is forcing you to begin to chart a different course of action. Finding ways to stay in control and not use helps. The more coping skills you develop the more you gain strength and courage to stay sober.

4. Substance Abuse Robs

Substance abuse is like an angry storm. It goes about making a lot of noise and knocking down everything in the way. Recognizing that there is a problem is the first step. Actively seeking solutions towards recovery can help as well as finding support for treatment options. Following through on therapy will help to replace some of what addiction steals from you. Time is the one thing you can’t get back. Making up for lost time and making positive changes should be part of the new life plan.

Substance Abuse 101

Substance Abuse 101

What is Substance Abuse?

The term substance abuse is synonymous with drug abuse, and both terms reference the use (or misuse) of alcohol or drugs (illegal or prescription) that negatively affect the lives of the people using them. For instance, if someone cannot hold down a job or be in a long term relationship or their health is compromised due to alcohol or drugs – this is a sign of substance abuse. Often substance abuse entails using a substance in a repetitive and compulsive way, with withdrawal symptoms developing when the person attempts to stop using the substance (or reduces the dosage). Dependence on a drug can manifest as a physical dependence or a psychological dependence – the person believes they need the substance in order to feel good or to function.

Common substances associated with drug abuse include alcohol, cocaine, opioids, barbiturates, amphetamines, benzodiazepines, and methaqualone.

Effects of Drug Abuse

Drugs can result in changes in a person’s mood, sense of well-being, perceptions, sensations, level of awareness, etc. This is because the central nervous system is affected. Substance abuse can affect the mental state, and even cause someone to show the symptoms of mental illness or psychiatric disorders, with delusions and psychotic episodes.

Teenagers and Drug Abuse

Unfortunately, one in five teenagers have abused a prescription medication. Many adolescents experiment with such medications that they find in their homes. Some states have enacted laws that require medical lock boxes to protect kids from having access to inappropriate drugs in their homes. Massachusetts is one of those states.

Treatment Option

Treatment for drug abuse can include counseling and medications that reduce the cravings for the drug. In order for treatment to work, it must be voluntary – the person must want to break free from from the addiction.

Legalities of Substance Abuse

Each country has their own system of dealing with drugs. The United States government has criminalized the use of certain drugs, calling them “controlled substances” and making them illegal to produce, distribute or possess. Legal punishment can include serving time in prison (some countries even utilize the death penalty).