The line between casual drug and alcohol use and detrimental abuse and addiction can be blurry. How do you know if you or someone you love’s substance use has become a problematic addiction? When is it time to seek treatment? There are a lot of confusing questions surrounding substance abuse. Here are some ways to identify if there is a serious problem and if it is time to find a St Paul substance abuse treatment facility.
Drugs and Your Brain
Many believe that addiction is a choice, but in reality, there are a number of things that happen in the brain that create an addiction to a particular substance. Recreational drugs cause particular reactions in the brain, which result in feelings of happiness. As a result, we want to continue taking more, and quickly these pleasurable recreational substances become necessities like eating and drinking. These changes in your brain result in an inability to feel normal without the substance. At this point, the urge becomes so strong that you rationalize addiction and substantially underestimate the amount that you are consuming.
The Roots of Addiction
There are various reasons that individuals become dependent on drugs. For many, it is a gradual and sneaky development. They begin using drugs or alcohol socially, and then slowly they use more and more, and the substance becomes more important. Other users have a more specific need for the substance as it fulfills a need or void in their life. They may find it helpful as they cope with stress, anxiety, sadness or pain. For some, it may be the only happy thing in their life. For many, use can become detrimental to their overall functioning, and this is time to contact a St Paul substance abuse treatment center.
Time to Seek Treatment
There is no specific identifiable point when substance use progresses from casual to problematic. This is greatly dependent on the individual. Most importantly, drug misuse can be identified by related detrimental behaviors. Most importantly, if your drug use has begun to impact your performance at work or school or has started causing problems in your relationships, you will need to seek help. At this point, the drug has begun to impact areas outside of the use itself. Additionally, if you begin taking significant risks or running into issues with the law, it is a strong sign that the drug is influencing your behavior. Ultimately, if you see that your attitude and behavior has greatly changed, you will want to find a St Paul substance abuse treatment program.
Drug and alcohol addiction can greatly impact your life, and it’s important to know when to get help at a St Paul substance abuse treatment location. If your behavior and overall lifestyle have been greatly influenced by drugs, contact the experts at Options Family & Behavior Services, Inc.
