People from every walk of life can face issues with drug use, regardless of their background, age, race, or reasons they began using drug substances in the first place. Most people like to experiment with different recreational drugs to have a great time with their friends, merely out of curiosity, or to cope with problems such as depression, anxiety, or stress.
Illegal drug substances like heroin and cocaine can lead to drug addiction. Likewise, prescription drugs such as sleeping pills, painkillers, and tranquilizers can also create similar problems. Addiction to painkillers is so powerful that it has become the key risk factor for abusing heroin, especially by adults. In fact, after marijuana, painkillers (prescription medication) are the most abused medication in the United States. Many people die from overdosing opioid painkillers each day than from gun deaths and road traffic accidents combined.
When Recreational Drug Use Becomes Drug Addiction
Of course, drug use, whether prescription or illegal, doesn’t necessarily result in abuse. Many individuals can take prescription or recreational drugs without having any negative effects. Others realize that using drug substances takes a dangerous toll on their physical, mental, and emotional health. If you’re concerned about yourself or your loved one using addictive substances, understanding how abuse and drug addiction grow and why it has such a stronghold on one’s life can provide you a better idea of ways to best deal with these problems. Recovering control of your entire life and facing challenges without diminishing the scale of the problem or making excuses can be overwhelming, but addiction recovery is possible. If you want help, visit www.addictionguide.com to overcome your drug addiction and develop a good, substance-free life for you or your loved one.
How Recreational Drug Use Turns into Addiction
‘Recreational’ is a bit of a misnomer. It gives the impression that drugs can be taken for fun or tried temporarily. While the reality is that using drugs traps an individual in a cyclical process of continually seeking a ‘high.’ A popular misconception is that drugs can help release your inner creative potential and give you a new perspective on life. Leading to a further mistaken belief that the pleasurable release you feel enriches your soul.
If drug use creates issues in your personal life, including your school, work, home, or relationships, you probably have substance abuse or addiction issues. The drug’s effect is the primary reason people return to try it repeatedly, and addiction is the user’s inability to stop using the substance. It is not so much about the frequency of the drug use or amount or type of the substance, but rather how unwilling you are to leave a substance that can result in psychological and physical harm. Drug addictions follow four stages.
Experimentally
At this initial stage, an individual tries a drug or alcohol merely out of curiosity or fun. Other common reasons for experimenting with drugs include struggling to fit in or coping with undesirable emotions such as uncertainties or grief. The goal is to improve life. Improvement is associated with relief from stress, relaxation, social approval, rebellion, confidence, happiness experienced with the drug effects.
Recreation
A person’s drug or alcohol use becomes more recurrent at this stage. The frequency may increase. For instance, they use the substance only on weekends or a few times every month. A person most likely won’t observe any damaging outcomes at this stage.
Routine Drug Use or Misuse
At this moment, drug or alcohol use can become risky. It starts to interfere with health and well-being issues like depression and anxiety in the individual’s life. The person may get pulled over for driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs (DUI) or driving while impaired (DWI), possession, and maybe violence. You might begin to notice paraphernalia for using some illicit drugs.
Risky Drug Use or Abuse
The warning signs of physical and emotional dependence on the drug have emerged at this stage, and substance use disorder has become a major risk. This stage is marked by the constant use of drugs or alcohol despite potentially serious outcomes and willingness to jeopardize social or romantic relationships. Depression anxiety is exasperated by feelings of irritability and fatigue when the user doesn’t get the drug. Satisfying the craving for the drug becomes the primary concern for the addict.
Drug Dependence
The addict has become fully dependent on the drug, fueled by a compulsive urge to keep the withdrawal symptoms at bay. It is a point where substances or alcohol have taken considerable control of an addict’s life. An addict’s performance at work has declined, or he may have lost it by now and will be having trouble with personal finances. There may even be a criminal record. Friendships and relationships may have become restricted to people who use alcohol or similar drug substances. Moreover, substance abuse will have compromised physical and mental health.
Substance Use or Addiction Disorder
In this step, addicts will do whatever it takes to get the drug substance or alcohol, no matter the consequences or effects. At this stage, addicts no longer need a high; they are only trying to prevent drug or alcohol withdrawal symptoms.
Warning Signs That Your Loved One Is Abusing Drugs
Drug abusers sometimes try to hide their symptoms but if you observe that your friend or loved one has the following physical, behavioral, and psychological warning signs, then understand they are dealing with substance use disorder.
Physical Warning Signs
- Pupils smaller or bigger than normal, bloodshot eyes
- Alteration in sleep patterns or appetite
- Sudden weight gain or weight loss
- Deterioration of personal grooming behaviors and physical appearance
- Strange smells on body, clothing, or breath
- Impaired coordination, tremors, or slurred speech
Behavioral warning signsÂ
- Drop-in performance or attendance at work or school
- Inexplicable financial issues like stealing or borrowing
- Engaging in suspicious or secretive behaviors
- A rapid change in hobbies, favorite hangouts, and friends
- Regularly getting into troubles like fights, accidents, or any illegal activity
Psychological warning signsÂ
- Sudden change in attitude or personality
- Mood swings, angry outbursts, or irritability
- Periods of strange giddiness, agitation, or hyperactivity
- Lack of interest appears spaced out or lethargic
- Seems anxious, fearful, or paranoid
Warning Signs of Frequently Abused Recreational Drugs
Around 46% of marijuana users (9% adults) show warning signs such as red, glassy eyes, inappropriate laughter, loud talking, loss of motivation or interest, sleepiness, weight loss, or gain. People using stimulants such as amphetamines and cocaine and crystal meth also appear with certain visible signs, such as hyperactivity and euphoria. It can also cause irregular sleep patterns and loss of appetite.
Many individuals use inhalants as recreational drugs resulting in impaired vision, irritability, and poor muscle control. Aerosols and vapors can lead to watery eyes and the release of secretions from the nose. Over 1.1 million first-time users of hallucinogens experience irrational behavior and severe mood swings that result in detachment from their friends and family.
Conclusion
Addiction is a complicated issue that severely influences every aspect of the drug addict’s life. Drug addiction recovery is possible, and the first step is to reach out for some help. Rehabilitation centers and counselors can help deal with issues like changing the way you spend your life, dealing with your emotional problems, and enabling you to interact with others. Support from family, friends or professional help can make a huge difference in the recovery process, whether you decide to join a rehab in Rochester NY, any self-help program, get addiction recovery therapy, or try a self-directed addiction treatment approach.
