Are you looking to get help for addiction problems? Do you want to know if a friend or a family member needs help for their addiction? Or, are you hoping to see signs to stop using?
“I’m in trouble, I’m an addict.” You might have thought, uttered, or heard these words.
If you have, then you know it’s time to get help from professional rehab centers. However, these are often the words of an addict who has hit rock bottom or are well on their way there. Before you reach that low point, read on below for early signs of addiction you can look out for.
1. You Developed Health Problems from Substance Abuse
Do you find it harder to do physical activity now? Do you now have cancer, heart or lung disease? Are you losing weight or sleep due to your addiction?
When you start feeling sick or losing weight, it can be a cause of substance abuse. After all, your body isn’t meant to abuse substances, whether it’s alcohol or drugs. Everything from your fingernails to your skeletal system can get affected.
One of the biggest signs that you need help is your health. When the body starts breaking down, it means you’re doing it too much harm already.
Another reason many addicts start deteriorating is that their focus is on the drug or drink. Instead of eating healthy or drinking water, they indulge in unhealthy food and drink. Some lose their appetite, leaving their bodies vulnerable to diseases.
2. You’ve Gotten a Talking to from Friends and Family
If you’ve had concerned parties ask you to stop, take it as a sign. When you’re under the influence, your focus will be on the substance. These drugs or alcohol reduce your inhibitions.
You might start doing unusual or irresponsible things. It then may have a direct or indirect effect on other people. When they get affected or feel concern for you, it’s natural that they’ll ask you to stop.
Look back to the last time a family member or friend talked to you about your drug habits. How did you respond or react? Were you defensive or in denial?
Taking an unbiased recall on how you reacted to the talking-to is one way to check yourself.
Also, notice how many people have raised their concerns about your habits. If there’s been more than one, you know you need help.
Speak to them and ask them to help you look for programs like Drug Rehab Ohio.
3. Drugs or Alcohol Is Your New Priority
Another way to know that you need help from a professional is by looking at your goals. Ask yourself questions like, “If I stopped using, do I see myself being happy?”
The questions are to test your dependence on drugs or alcohol. If they are what you need to cope with any kind of situation, you know you need help.
Can you control your urges for a day, a week, or a month? Do you spend most of your time looking for or buying these substances? When the answers to these questions all point out to how much you need drugs or alcohol, get help.
4. Your Life Is Spiraling
In the media, you see depictions of the lives of substance abusers. You see how their lives spiral out of control. Some lose their jobs while others lose their homes.
Do you feel that work or school isn’t as important anymore? Are you neglecting your responsibilities now as a family member? Do you find yourself on the road to financial ruin?
These are signs that your addiction has taken over your life.
5. Your Relationships Are Suffering
Have you hurt others or yourself while you’re under the influence? Have you said hurtful words to close friends or family that you wouldn’t otherwise say with a clear head?
Drug and alcohol abuse has a way of destroying relationships.
Addiction can tear families, couples, and friends apart. When you notice that you’ve begun to push people away, start asking for help.
6. You’ve Developed a Mental Illness
Did you know that abusing drugs and alcohol can lead to mental illness? In 2014, the National Institute of Mental Health found that 7.9 million American adults both had mental illness and substance use disorder.
Now, drug and alcohol addiction is a type of mental illness. One of the most common mental illness substance abusers have is depression. Together, substance abuse and depression make a co-occurring disorder or dual diagnosis.
7. You Tried to Quit by Yourself, with No Success
You’ve realized that you’re an addict and you need to stop. However, even after you’ve tried, you can’t seem to stop using.
A big reason for this is because you start to experience withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms are part of the process of getting better. When you stop, physical pain can get worse.
If you can’t do it on your own, seek a rehab center. They exist to help you through the difficult process of withdrawal and help you develop new coping mechanisms in place of using.
“I’m in Trouble, I’m an Addict”—Get the Help You Need
If you’re thinking, “I’m in trouble, I’m an addict,” then these signs probably resonate with you. Now that you know these are symptoms of a problem, you can get help. Remember that you don’t have to do any of this alone.
If you found this article informative and educational, check out our other guides. You’ll discover more interesting tips and tricks!
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