Drug Addiction 101: Acknowledgement Is First Step Towards Recovery

Do you wish that you could stop using a substance, but can’t? Do you feel physical withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop? Do you obsess over how you’re going to get more? You are (most) probably undergoing addiction.

Drug addiction is a medical disorder, and sufferers should seek professional help, which may include a medical detox and psychotherapeutic treatment.

What Is Drug Addiction & How Can You Beat It?

Drug addiction has two components, physical dependence and psychological dependence. The substances involved can range from heroin to marijuana to prescription drugs. Like most other addictions, people become overly obsessed with it for many reasons. However, in order to recover, a treatment process has to be undergone to address the specific obstacles that keep you from sobriety.

You Are Not Alone

• As of 2014, there were 21.5 million adults in the U.S. who were dealing with some type of substance abuse disorder, according to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (NSDUH).
• Majority of these individuals, 80 percent, suffered specifically from an alcohol use disorder. (NSDUH)
• In 2014, more than 7 million Americans were struggling with a drug use disorder. (NSDUH)
• Among these individuals, 1 out of 8 were also struggling with an alcohol use disorder. (NSDUH)
• Also going through simultaneous disorders was the 8 million adults in the U.S. who were suffering from both a substance use disorder and a mental health disorder, according 2014 data from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
• In 2007, the total cost of drug abuse to American society was close to $200 billion, according to the Office on National Drug Control Policy (ONDCP).
• Globally, alcohol and drug issues are estimated to create a burden of disease by 5.4 percent, according to the World Health Organization (WHO).

Symptoms of Drug Addiction

Substance abuse produces noticeable symptoms, which may either be physical or behavioral in nature, but could also be a combination of both.

Physical Symptoms

After you start using a drug, your body develops tolerance to it, causing you to need increased doses to achieve the same effect all of the time. Increasing doses due to tolerance are very dangerous, because it often leads to overdosing. Long-term drug abuse also disrupt brain and organ functions and that different substances produce different signs.

Drug abusers often exhibit changes in appearance, such as:

• Glazed or bloodshot eyes;
• Pupils that are too large or too small;
• Sudden change in weight;
• An infected or bruised area marking the site where the drug enters the body.

Behavioral Symptoms

As a person becomes dependent on a drug, their behavior and mental processes suffer. The following changes in behavior may indicate a drug problem:

• Increase in short-temperedness or aggression;
• Personality or attitude changes;
• Lethargy;
• Depression;
• Sudden change in social circles;
• Dramatic alteration of priorities or habits;
• Financial difficulties;
• Becoming involved in illegal activities.

Recognizing the physical and behavioral signs of drug addiction is essential to stopping it. More often than not, you will need outside help to break free from addiction. Just always be motivated by the fact that accepting the situation and seeking for professional help is the first step towards sobriety. Detox of South Florida is committed to helping change addicts lives for the better.

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Dr. Vikram Tarugu MD

Dr. Vikram Tarugu, M.D, is the CEO of Detox of South Florida, Inc and medical professional focused on addiction. A veteran in the medical field with over 25 years of professional experience. He is a consultant for many South Florida Rehab centers. Patients travel from allover the US to seek his help with addiction and Hepatitis C treatment.