How to Get Help with Substance Abuse
How to Get Help with Substance Abuse
The first step toward recovery is understanding that you need substance abuse help.
Unfortunately, getting help for substance abuse is not always easy.
Substance abuse resources are sometimes hard to come by because acknowledging your personal struggle can be difficult.
After you come to terms with your addiction, the next step is finding a treatment program that can help you get healthy.
There are many treatment programs available.
This might include starting with a detox program and moving into another rehab facility.
It can also simply mean beginning rehab at an inpatient or outpatient facility.
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Benefits vs Downfalls of Drinking
Recovering from an addiction is not easy, but it is possible.
With a lot of hard work and self-discipline, you can achieve long-term sobriety.
Despite this, you do not need to go on this journey alone.
Instead, you will meet peers to walk along this journey with.
These will be people from rehab who can relate to you.
Additionally, you can bring friends and supportive family through recovery with you, as long as they have your best interests at heart.
Be aware that your recovery from an addiction is dependent on how much you put into the process.
If you are not serious about getting help, then you will not succeed with sobriety.
You must put the time and effort in.
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Do I Need Substance Abuse Help?
If your life and relationships are being negatively affected by your substance use, then you most likely have an addiction. Addiction is diagnosed on a spectrum. There are 11 criteria for addiction that can help you determine if your addiction is mild, moderate, or severe. These include:
- Lack of control
- Desire to quit but unable
- Spending a lot of time trying to get the substance
- Cravings
- Lack of responsibility
- Problems with relationships
- Loss of interest
- Dangerous use
- Worsening situations
- Tolerance
- Withdrawal
The severity of your addiction is determined by how many criteria you meet. For example, if two to three of the criteria apply to you, then you would have a mild substance use disorder. If you have a mild diagnosis, this can easily turn into something more serious. Meaning you should get help regardless.
Getting Substance Abuse Help Without a Support Group
If you think you have an addiction, but your friends are telling you that you are fine, you may need to ask yourself a few questions:
- Do these friends also use substances?
If this is the case, they may be trying to keep you in their circle of party friends. This is incredibly selfish, and may also indicate that they have a problem themselves. If they’re a true friend, they’ll support your decision to get sober because it’s what’s best for you. - Have you been hiding your substance use from them?
If you have concealed this part of your life from them, then they might not even know that you are struggling. This may even be the first time they are hearing about your substance issue, which can be confusing. Take this as an opportunity to be open and honest with them about your addiction. Having support is incredibly important during recovery. - Would you feel comfortable telling your friends that you think they have a problem?
If you do not have a friendship where you can be honest with one another then consider if you are truly good friends. Does this really make you want their support? If you are worried that it will ruin your relationship if they acknowledge the issue, then you may not be good friends.
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Types of Substance Abuse Help
There are many different types of treatment programs, that can help each individual differently. These can be customized based on your unique needs and situations.
Inpatient Rehab
Inpatient rehabs typically offer structured treatment programs that are designed to address all parts of an individual’s addiction. During inpatient rehab, you will live in a substance-free facility. You will be around doctors and medical professionals 24 hours per day for support.
For those who are suffering from a serious addiction, inpatient rehab is the best option. Especially for those who suffer from a co-occurring mental or behavioral disorder.
Outpatient Rehab
Outpatient rehabs are another form of rehab. These programs allow you to reside at home while getting substance abuse help. These programs offer many of the same kinds of effective treatments and therapies as inpatient rehabs. The main difference is the ability to live at home.
Outpatient programs are great for individuals who have family support. You will be able to continue working and caring for your family while still going to therapy sessions. The only danger with outpatient rehab is that you are still living in the real world, meaning triggers and opportunities to relapse are readily available.
Drug and Alcohol Detox
Detoxification, also known as detox, is a method of substance abuse help that provides you the opportunity to withdraw from drugs and alcohol in a safe situation. This is typically the first step in getting substance abuse help.
In some cases, detoxing from certain drugs includes medication-assisted therapy. During this form of substance abuse help medications prescribed will taper down until you are no longer physically dependent.
Getting Substance Abuse Help With a Mental Illness
Almost 50% of people living with a mental health condition also have a problem with substance abuse. This is called a dual diagnosis, or a co-occurring disorder. Going to treatment for both of your disorders is proven to help sustain recovery.
Because many combinations of dual diagnosis can occur, symptoms can vary from person to person. Many mental health clinics use drug and alcohol tools in order to identify who is at risk. Symptoms of a substance use disorder, meaning you need substance abuse help, include:
- Withdrawal from friends and family
- Sudden changes in behavior
- Engaging in risky behaviors
- Developing a high tolerance and withdrawal symptoms
- Feeling like you need a drug to be able to function
Getting substance abuse help does not mean you are weak. It means you are stronger than your addiction. Warning signs of a dual diagnosis might also include extreme mood changes, confused thinking or problems concentrating, avoiding friends and social activities and thoughts of suicide. These are all reasons to obtain substance abuse help.
Integrated Intervention
The best treatment for dual diagnosis is an integrated intervention. This form of substance abuse help is when a person receives care for both their diagnosed mental illness and substance use disorder. The idea that you cannot treat your depression because you are also drinking is not true. You must address both issues.
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Getting Help
If you have an addiction and want to get sober, then treatment is your best option.
Beating an addiction to drugs or alcohol requires eliminating the drug in your system, but also addressing the behavioral issues.
You need to learn why you became addicted in the first place.
Recovery from addiction involves changing the way you think, feel and behave.
Addiction is a lifelong disease.
It will be difficult, but in the end, it will save your life.
Getting treatment is your best chance at a successful recovery.
Contact us at Resurgence Behavioral Health to learn about your free insurance verification for treatment.
