It is no secret that a substance use disorder can upend a person’s life. But sometimes people who are struggling try to keep those struggles a secret from others—or even from themselves. That is why it is important to know the common signs of substance use disorders so that you can identify when you or someone you love might need help.
Before we dive into the signs, however, let’s be clear about what a substance use disorder is. A substance use disorder is a brain disease that can develop for a variety of reasons and causes a person to become dependent on drugs or alcohol. There is no cure for a substance use disorder, but via treatment, ongoing care, and intentional strategies in recovery, sobriety can be achieved and maintained.
With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the indicators that someone—perhaps you—has a problem with drugs or alcohol.
Warning Sign: The Pull of Drugs or Alcohol
Some of the signs of a substance use disorder are experienced directly by the person struggling. For example, they might have strong urges that seem to demand their attention and occur several times a day. When these urges strike, it may seem impossible not to take drugs or drink alcohol. This can be true of illicit drugs or of prescription drugs that a person continues to take even after a medical issue has been addressed.
Over time, they may discover that they must take more and more of a drug to achieve the same effects they crave. Even when a person realizes that they are suffering physical and/or psychological harm as a result of their drug use, they may feel compelled to keep using—especially if they experience symptoms of withdrawal when they try to stop.
That trap—knowing that you need to stop using drugs or alcohol but being unable to do so due to the rigors of withdrawal—is perhaps the ultimate sign that you need to get help to address your substance use disorder. Fortunately, treatment can spring the trap and help you reclaim your life.
Warning Sign: Maintaining the Supply
Maintaining a stash of drugs or alcohol is a clear sign of a substance use disorder. And some individuals find themselves going to great lengths to do so. For example, if a person is addicted to prescription drugs, they may engage in a practice known as “doctor shopping,” going from physician to physician to acquire an ongoing supply.
Other ways of maintaining a supply may involve building a new social circle made up of people who can provide access to drugs or alcohol. These “friends” may charge for that access and so many people find themselves spending money they cannot afford to support their habit. That, in turn, can lead to a pattern of lying and/or stealing to acquire drugs or the money to get them.
Warning Sign: Changes in Behavior
The signs we have mentioned so far may be hard to spot in others because, as we have noted, people go to great lengths to hide their struggles with drugs and alcohol. But there are other signs that are easier to recognize related to changes in a person’s behavior.
For example, a person with a substance use disorder may become less engaged with their friends and family, recreational pursuits they have previously enjoyed, or even with their job or schoolwork. There may be drastic changes in their sleep patterns—resulting in either much more sleep or far less sleep than was their previous norm. The same is true of their eating habits. They may eat more than they usually do or may consume far less food than they have in the past.
In some cases, a person’s personality may seem to undergo a significant change and ongoing moodiness may become an issue. There may be a noticeable increase in risk-taking behaviors—driving under the influence, risky sexual encounters, a propensity for fighting, and more—that can lead to other significant problems. And there may be clear physical changes as well, ranging from significant weight gain or loss to recurring bloody noses, bloodshot eyes, tremors, and/or neglect of personal hygiene.
If you notice the sorts of changes we have identified here—either in yourself or in another person—it is clearly time to get serious about pursuing treatment.
For more information about the development of a substance use disorder, we encourage you to read a previous entry titled “The Five Stages of Addiction.”
All Signs Point Toward the Need for Treatment
What should you do if you or someone close to you is struggling with a substance use disorder? The key to overcoming the challenges posed by drug or alcohol use is seeking treatment, including detoxification and rehabilitation. At Canyon Vista Recovery Center, located in Mesa, Arizona, we have the expertise and compassion necessary to help you or your loved one achieve sobriety. And our commitment to a continuum of care ensures that you will have the support and resources you need to maintain that sobriety as you start your recovery journey.
And that is a good sign that things will be getting better.
