The National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH) estimates that more than 20 million Americans aged 12 and above are battling a substance use disorder. Among the most commonly abused substances include marijuana, alcohol, nicotine, opioids, cocaine, heroin, and stimulants. If you have a substance use disorder, it is time to find a Glendale addiction specialist to make your journey to liberation from drugs a reality. Because of the powerful nature of addiction, you are at risk of dangerous health and life-changing problems without timely specialist treatment.
You may be prone to infectious diseases, physical and mental problems, suicide, family issues, learning difficulties, and financial constraints.
For instance, you may face money problems because instead of spending money on your everyday needs, it is spent on buying substances that cause your addiction. As a result, within a short time, you may find yourself debt-ridden.
Also, you may have workplace issues since your performance is below the optimum level or miss going to work. Therefore, you may lose your job.
Subsequently, below are signs that you may have a drug addiction and thus require specialist treatment.
- Overuse of medications
If you have a drug abuse problem, you will often take more than the prescribed medication dose.
Also, you may continue taking prescribed drugs even after receiving relief from your treatment.
- Loss of interest
Drug addiction will cause you to lose interest in activities that used to give you so much joy and happiness. You may no longer feel interested in working, socially interacting with others, attending school, or hobbies such as listening to music or playing football.
Loss of interest may also may you less interested or enthused in pursuing your talents.
Addiction causes you to lose interest in things you enjoy as you redirect your energy and enthusiasm to feeding the drug addiction monster.
- Mood disorders
Drug abuse often impairs your ability to control your emotions better. You will know you have mood swings if you get irritated, angered, or extremely upset in situations that you used to manage well.
If you have mood swings, you may frequently feel depressed.
- Emotional and social loneliness
You may turn to alcohol or other drugs because you feel lonely or do not fit in.
However, excessive intake of alcohol or drugs such as stimulants or cocaine often will make you feel more of the need to isolate yourself, especially because of paranoia or delusion disorders or fear of social stigma.
Some behaviors that indicate you may be hiding a substance use disorder are spending a lot of time inside your room, keeping yourself in a locked space or room, and avoiding questions from people you used to trust.
You may become more defensive when you encounter an uncomfortable question or topic.
- Change in sleeping habits
Substance withdrawal or misuse can make it difficult to fall or stay asleep. Clinical studies show that sleep deprivation puts you at high risk of an abnormally heightened state of anxiety.
And if you have insomnia, you are more susceptible to addiction because you use alcohol and other drugs that make you relaxed and fall asleep.
Contact 2nd Chance today to schedule an appointment with a specialist in addiction treatment.
