An addiction to drugs or alcohol can manifest in different ways, and the signs of substance abuse will vary in each person. It’s important to recognize some of the most common ways in which substance abuse can negatively impact your life so that you can have a better chance of understanding when drinking or drug use has become a problem for you or your loved ones. The sooner you recognize a problem in your behavior, the sooner you can begin to overcome it.
What Are Some of the Most Common Signs of Substance Abuse?
Some of the most common signs of problematic substance abuse may be the most obvious. A person may notice that the frequency in which they use drugs or alcohol has increased, sometimes needing to consume more and more to achieve the same effects. Some people may experience strong or uncontrollable urges to drink or use drugs, especially when dealing with difficult circumstances or negative emotions. They may have difficulty to stop using the substances in question. There’s no question that once substance abuse begins to spill out and affect the other areas of a person’s life, it has become a problem that must be addressed.
How Can Substance Abuse Affect My Life?
Substance abuse can powerfully affect many different areas of your life. It can lead you to experience consistent negative emotions such as anger, sadness, guilt, fear, confusion, loneliness, hopelessness, shame, and embarrassment. It can have a destructive impact on pre-existing or co-occurring mental illness, and sometimes even worsen symptoms of other problems. Substance abuse can lead to a myriad of obstacles at work and even complete job loss. It can also negatively affect relationships with loved ones and can make life more difficult for those close to you.
What Internal Problems Can Substance Abuse Cause?
Substance abuse can have a negative impact on your mental stability and your powers of focus and concentration, as well as numerous detrimental consequences on your physical health in both the short- and long-term. Destructive drug and alcohol consumption can make it harder to complete everyday life tasks and maintain important personal commitments. This problem can also have a ripple effect that causes different problems to compound and worsen over time, which is why if you are going through substance abuse, it will be more important than ever to begin working toward a solution.
What Factors Can Worsen Substance Abuse?
It’s like a double-edged sword: substance abuse both makes other problems worse and is itself made worse by other problems. Past trauma can worsen the effects that alcohol or drug abuse has on the mind. Financial instability or career stress can cause a person to struggle even more with substance abuse. Social problems with family, friends, and self-perception can all be contributors to addiction or drinking problems. Health complications, especially serious health issues or chronic pain, can lead to the worsening of drug or alcohol use as well. Because many people begin using drugs or alcohol to find relief, anything which acts as a source of high stress in your life can be a contributing factor towards a worsening habit of substance abuse.
What Steps Can I Take to Overcome a Substance Abuse Problem?
They say that the first step of recovery is accepting that you have a problem, and it’s true: understanding that drug or alcohol use is negatively affecting your life is a crucial step in moving toward the right direction. Coming up with an immediate plan that you can put into action will be next. You may have to make arrangements for work or other important commitments so that you have the freedom to address your issues without distraction. You don’t have to have every detail figured out all at once, and it’s okay to need some time to think things through – just don’t delay more than necessary. Take the time to figure out how to get help, sort your affairs, and get started.
How Can I Get Help With Substance Abuse?
Like many people, if you are going through addiction or problems with drugs or alcohol abuse, you may benefit from outside assistance. It can make a vital difference to reach out to others when you are going through a difficult time, and there’s no shame in getting help. Getting professional assistance for recovery can also be a worthwhile option if you are in need of specialized treatments, options, or information. Between your loved ones and recovery professionals, your goal should be to create a network of support that can help you to get on the right path.
Substance abuse can derail every aspect of your life. Get the help you need today to begin working towards a clean, healthy version of yourself and live the life you want to live. Promising Outlook is a rehabilitation center in Riverside, California. We offer treatment for problems including and related to addiction, substance abuse, relapse prevention, detox, mental illness, anger management, stress, life planning, and more. We provide a wide array of services and therapy modalities at a personalized level to meet your unique needs. Promising Outlook is committed to helping those in need to achieve stability and create major life changes. We provide a safe and non-judgemental space and individualized care so that each person has the best possible chances of succeeding in recovery and in building a new lifestyle. If you are ready to get the help you need to make a difference in your life, reach out to us today. Call (951) 783-2487 to learn more.
