Very few people ever set out to become addicted to drugs or alcohol. Sometimes, a medical condition, family history, or a series of events leads to addiction or reliance before you’ve even had a chance to see what’s happening to you.
However, there may come a time when you realize addiction has you firmly in its grasp, and you need to seek help before it irreparably damages your life and affects everyone in it. The following signs may indicate that checking into a rehabilitation facility is crucial sooner rather than later.
You Put Drugs Before Anything Else
Entering a substance abuse recovery program may be essential when you realize that you’re putting drugs before everything else in your life. You might be avoiding time with friends and family to find the drugs you need and spending all your money on securing them.
Even your hobbies and responsibilities take a backseat as you focus your attention primarily on making sure you can access and use your drugs of choice. This is undoubtedly one of the most significant alarm bells that alert you to the fact that you may need professional help.
You Crave Your Drug of Choice
Cravings are strong desires or urges to use a drug or alcohol, no matter the environment or consequences. Generally, these cravings present themselves after prolonged and repeated exposure to drugs that make your body depend on them. The only way you know to get rid of the urge is by taking the drug, and you might put yourself into a dangerous situation just to get your hands on them.
When you check into a rehabilitation facility, you can enter an alcohol and drug detoxification program that helps you work through your dependence and detox safely. These professional facilities can also help you manage withdrawal symptoms, such as anxiety, sweating, fatigue, depression, vomiting, and even hallucinations.
You’re Experiencing Mental and Physical Health Problems
Most people struggle with their physical and mental health from time to time, but substance abuse can undoubtedly contribute or be to blame for any new mental and physical health challenges you’ve been encountering.
You might be feeling anxious or depressed from drug use or even exhibiting symptoms of psychosis. Long-term and short-term drug use may also lead to problems like appetite change, loss of coordination, and sleeplessness, or health conditions such as cardiovascular and liver diseases, kidney damage, and respiratory issues.
You Need More to Feel the Effects
When you take a drug or consume alcohol for the first time, you generally feel its effects quickly and intensely since your body is not used to it. Over time, it builds up a tolerance, which means you need to take that drug more often or in higher doses to feel the same effects.
Higher drug dosages may put you at risk of an overdose, and it’s at this point you may realize you need professional help since it may be a matter of life or death.
Drug or Alcohol Use Is Affecting Your Life
When you first begin using a drug or consuming alcohol, you can likely carry on with life as usual. However, there may come a time when excessive alcohol consumption or drug use begins affecting your life.
You might be late to work or not turn up at all, or you may even ruin relationships with loved ones because of the choices you make. Losing friendships, relationships, and jobs over drug use can indicate that you may benefit from a drug rehabilitation facility.
You Can’t Quit On Your Own
When you’re in the throes of addiction, it’s not always easy to give up your drug of choice. It may even be dangerous for you to quit without professional help when faced with severe withdrawal symptoms such as persistent vomiting and diarrhea, seizures, and hallucinations.
You may know a drug rehabilitation facility is in your best interests if you generally experience severe withdrawal symptoms in between being able to gain access to drugs or alcohol.
Other People Have Noticed
You might think that your addiction is only noticeable to you, but that may not be true. Those closest to you may also have noticed, and they might be worried about your health and well-being.
It may be when they start speaking to you about things that you’re doing and asking questions that you come to realize that your addiction is no longer affecting just you; it’s also affecting those you love the most.
Entering a rehab facility may be one of the scariest experiences of your life, but it may also be a helpful one. You can detox in a safe environment, get the support you need, and learn techniques for managing withdrawal symptoms and life without alcohol or drugs as a crutch.
