Table of Contents

When Does Misusing Drugs Become Substance Abuse?
How Does Drug Addiction Develop?
Get Help for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence

If you’re concerned that you or a family member is struggling with a substance use disorder, life probably feels confusing. Sometimes, the person in question seems fine and appears to be taking care of themselves and their life. At other times, they’re careless, disheveled and barely seem like themselves at all. However, with recreational drug and alcohol abuse on the rise, it’s easier than ever for people who are suffering to hide their symptoms or dismiss them as harmless fun.

In this article, you’ll find out about how recreational drug misuse can evolve into a substance use disorder, learn about the signs that someone might need addiction treatment and discover the effects of short- and long-term abuse of substances.

When Does Misusing Drugs Become Substance Abuse?

A troubled man sitting in a corner, showing drug abuse symptomsSubstance abuse can affect people from any walk of life, from any background, at any age. Risk factors for serious problems are genetic and environmental, including family history, an impulsive personality, trauma, lack of parental supervision and early first use of addictive substances. The most commonly abused substances in the United States are alcohol, cannabis and prescription drugs, which are also the easiest substances to get hold of.

Because of how prolific drug use is becoming, the signs of drug abuse are easier to mask. And while some people can use substances without getting addicted, they can tear apart the life of someone at risk of developing addiction. Substance abuse and SUDs refer to drug use that negatively impacts a person’s life. It might take a social, financial, educational or occupational toll, alongside feeling out of control and finding it impossible to resist cravings.

How Does Drug Addiction Develop?

It can take months or even years for someone with a serious drug abuse problem to realize they’ve moved from drug use to addiction. This is partly due to the way psychoactive substances hijack the brain’s reward system, which is ultimately more powerful than willpower or logic alone. During addiction, your brain regards the need for a substance to be as important as water, food or any other biological survival behavior.

The quantities you use and how regularly you use them also play a key role in the onset of addiction. This is because as tolerance builds, you need more and more to get the same effects. And the more you use, the more the brain prioritizes that substance. Many people with serious SUDs experience few of the fun, uplifting effects they once felt when using and instead take substances to feel normal and escape the pain of withdrawal symptoms. Nonetheless, they’ll often tell everyone else they’re having fun and don’t need help.

PHYSICAL SIGNS OF DRUG ABUSE

A man having trouble sleeping - sign of meth withdrawalPeople with drug habits are psychologically prone to minimize their problem and hide their symptoms. What’s more, shame and guilt go hand in hand with addiction because society traditionally perceives it as a weakness and a sign of moral failing, making it even harder for people to admit they have a problem. But addiction is an illness, and a treatable one at that.

Let’s look at the physical signs of drug misuse:

  • Pinpoint or dilated pupils
  • Appearing tired all the time
  • Involuntary eye movements
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Sudden weight loss or gain
  • Needle marks
  • Poor coordination
  • Slurred speech
  • Frequently smelling unusual
  • Changes to physical appearance, like not bathing, brushing hair or caring about clothes
  • Sleep disorders

PSYCHOLOGICAL SIGNS OF SUBSTANCE USE

Psychological signs and symptoms that drugs are negatively impacting someone’s life include:

  • Lack of motivation
  • Deterioration in mental health
  • Sudden mood swings
  • Preoccupation with the substance they’re abusing
  • Unusual behavior, such as agitation, hyperactivity or extreme lethargy
  • Unexplained drastic changes in attitude

BEHAVIORAL SIGNS OF DRUG ADDICTION

Depressed woman sitting down with hands cuppedIt’s not just a person’s physical appearance or psychological well-being that are affected by addiction to drugs. Behavioral health refers to how your thoughts affect your actions and arguably has the biggest impact on how you live your life. Behavioral signs of drug addiction include:

  • Poor performance at work or school
  • Inability to manage finances
  • Dishonest behavior, including lying, stealing or excessive borrowing
  • Being overly secretive
  • Changes in peer group
  • Poor judgment
  • Engaging in more risky behaviors, such as unprotected sex, driving under the influence and illegal activities

SHORT-TERM EFFECTS OF SUBSTANCE USE

When you don’t understand the mechanism of drug abuse, it’s easier to be in denial about how much of a toll it’s taking on you. Even in the short term, prescription drug abuse and illicit substance abuse can lead to major changes in the brain’s circuitry. While these changes are usually reversible, they can negatively impact your friends and family members and trigger or cause a mental health disorder .

What’s more, your immune system and nervous system have to work hard to process these toxic substances. You might not feel the effects for years, but the impact on your health is very real. Short-term effects of drug use include:

  • Lethargy
  • Trouble sleeping
  • Mood swings
  • Decreased impulse control
  • Increased or decreased blood pressure
  • Digestive issues
  • Disregard for self-care
  • Potential for overdose

LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF DRUG ADDICTION

Long-term effects of drug addiction on health concept imageThe more you abuse drugs, the more likely physical and mental disorders are to occur as a result of the toll regularly ingesting toxins takes on your health. When you stop abusing substances, your immune system can stop focusing on firefighting the resulting damage and get back to keeping you at your physical and psychological best.

Long-term effects you might experience if you misuse drugs include:

  • Depression
  • Anxiety
  • Mood disorders
  • Schizophrenia
  • Uncontrolled aggression and irritability
  • Paranoia
  • Heart disease
  • Lung disease
  • Central nervous system dysfunction
  • Kidney disease
  • Liver disease
  • Cancer

Get Help for Alcoholism and Drug Dependence

A psychotherapist talking to a group of individuals recovering from alcohol and drug addiction

Brookside Treatment is one of the premier addiction treatment facilities in Kentucky. We treat every resident like a member of the family, providing the love, support, guidance and resources necessary to gain control over drug or alcohol addiction.

If you’d like to discuss treatment with an addiction expert, get in touch with us today at 606-342-7089.

GET HELP NOW

General Outpatient Therapy

No matter what stage of addiction you’re at or how long you’ve been using substances, you can overcome addiction. Call Brookside Treatment today to find out more.

CALL NOW 606-342-7089