Addiction to drugs is not a preserve of intoxicating substances like heroin that are likely to make you feel high. You can also get addicted to prescription drugs from your doctor or illegally getting pain medications to relieve you from chronic pain. Dr. Salvage is an experienced psychiatrist who participates in a wide range of trainings to treat various forms of substance abuse in Park Slope to help you regain the happiness that you have been deprived of due to your addiction.
How do you tell if you have substance abuse or addiction?
You are most likely to get confused between drug abuse and drug addiction. Your doctor will help you distinguish your drug abuse if you are using any substance (legal or illegal) in a way you should not. This could mean that you are taking an excess dosage of prescription or using a different person’s medication to treat yourself. Drug abuse can help you feel great temporarily and help you avoid reality, but you may find it impossible to stop unhealthy habits.
On the other hand, your doctor will say you have an addiction when you find it impossible to quit using the drug even though it endangers your life and causes problems to you and your loved ones. You will feel a persistent urge to get up and use the drug every minute of your day, even when you feel like quitting.
The most common drugs you are likely to misuse include:
· Stimulants
· Sedatives
· Steroids
· Prescription medications
· Hallucinogens
· Nicotine
· Opioids
· Club drugs
· Alcohol
· Marijuana
While the drugs vary, they all extensively activate your brain’s addiction center.
Causes of Substance Abuse Disorder
After using substances, you will likely feel intoxicated. After a while, your brain gets altered by the drugs and becomes so desensitized that you have to use more of the drug to have a similar effect. The more your consumption, the more it takes a toll on your life and prevents you from enjoying other aspects of your life. You will feel that something is not correct when you are not under the substance’s influence and you will constantly have the desire to recapture your ‘satisfaction’ feeling.
Treatment Options for Substance Abuse Disorder
Addiction is a gradual process. At first, you will like to use the particular drug because it helps you feel great. As you progress with the drug’s use, you will feel that you can control how often and how much you can use it. Your doctor will use various therapies to help with your substance abuse, regardless of its severity. You will most likely receive a combination of:
· Detoxification. Your care provider could ensure he supervises you to ensure the drugs leave your body safely.
· Medications. As you detoxify, your doctor will give you prescription drugs to control your cravings and relieve you from withdrawal symptoms.
· Behavioral therapies. Your doctor could use psychotherapy to help you deal with your addiction’s cause, boost your self-esteem, and equip you with coping mechanisms.
Drugs alter your brain function over time. While you might have the physical effects of the substance for an extended period, the mental and psychological effects will make you lose your cool and result in damaging behaviors. Contact the experts today for more inquiries on substance abuse.