Learning how to prevent drug abuse is the most crucial way to understand how it all begins. It can simply have started with back pain, with your doctor prescribing you some pain killers to help assist in making you more comfortable. Or rather you were struggling with issues sleeping, and then your friend offered you a few pills to help calm your nerves in order to help you sleep.
It perhaps did not seem like a big deal at the moment, however soon you started taking more than you needed. Seldom use soon became more of a habit. Then you found yourself regularly using, which now you’ve suddenly found yourself with full-blown drug addiction.
Impulsive decisions can become paramount to a lifetime of struggles. Prevention is the most effective treatment for drug treatment. In preventing drug abuse altogether it becomes very important to understand how it develops, to begin with.
The Beginnings of Drug Abuse
Addiction usually sneaks up and comes on very gradually. Typically the beginning of drug use can be traced back to adolescence. Experimentation in adolescence with over-the-counter drugs is a lot of the way teens have tried experiencing a “high.” Even though the term, “recreational drug use,” sounds pretty harmless enough, the results can be catastrophic. It can lead to a life of addiction and drug abuse that can affect a person’s life forever.
Although not everyone begins their drug abuse at the age of adolescence. Adults begin by experimenting with drugs that are prescribed to them or given to them by a friend. Usually in order to address various issues or conditions. These issues can be issues to address pain, or insomnia for example, yet there are other issues as well. Though because opioids and other prescription drugs produce a “high,” and a “feel-good” effect, which can be described as euphoria. Many people continue to take them and continue to feel that effect over and over. Soon enough, they develop psychological and physical dependence and higher increased tolerance, and it then results in addiction.
It’s the same for over-the-counter medications as well. There are some adults who even take them for other reasons aside from their intended usage. Those reasons can range from simply trying to get high, staying alert, and even to trying to lose weight. When their tolerance grows as they continue to take more and more trying to achieve the initial effect they felt in the beginning, they need larger doses. All in all, this creates a vicious cycle of destructive dependency. Which can be very devastating not only to themselves but to their livelihood and those a part of it.
Risk Factors for Drug Abuse
Yes, not everyone who uses drugs will become addicted. Although, there are still some things to consider that may influence the increase of drug abuse overall:
- Family History: Those who have family members who have suffered and struggled with drug or alcohol abuse throughout their lives may have a genetic predisposition to addiction. Also, they may have learned behaviors from the ways in which they were raised if they were raised in an addiction household.
- Mental Illness: Those who suffer from mental illness tend to self-medicate with drugs to lessen their symptoms. When using substances to cope and lessen symptoms drug abuse will eventually turn into addiction more than likely over time.
- Easy Access: Having a family member or friend who shares prescriptions increases your chance of abusing drugs, which can lead to addiction. Also, having a doctor who is freely prescribing addictive medications puts you in a position of increasing your chance of drug abuse and addiction.
- Lack of Support: It’s a lot easier to fall into the life of drug abuse and addiction when you lack the emotional support of loving friends and family members.
The Prevention of Drug Abuse
To prevent someone from doing drugs is impossible, though there are ways to make an environment that helps sustain and support sobriety.
- Early screening. Risk factors being evaluated for drug abuse help create awareness. It helps allow you to develop strategies for intervention early.
- Using medication as prescribed. Take medication as it is prescribed whether over-the-counter or how it is prescribed by a physician. Always for their intended purpose, exactly as indicated and directed.
- Effective coping skills. When things get tough and dealing with stress and anxiety avoid using drugs as a means of coping. It is important to establish and find healthy ways for those stressful times.
- Treatment for underlying illness. Mental illness often co-occurs with drug addiction, it is important to find proper treatment to help reduce the risk of self-medicating with illicit drug use.
Signs of Drug Abuse
Prevention strategies at times are unfortunately not enough. If you feel you or someone you love is struggling with drug abuse, here are some things to look out for:
- Financial problems
- Sudden weight loss
- Depression, irritability, and mood swings
- Bruises or skin infections
- Poor performance at work or school
- Drastic changes in habits or behaviors
- Glazed eyes and dilated pupils
The sooner you can target the problem, the more quickly you can find treatment. The earlier you can receive treatment the more you can have a successful outcome.
Receive Drug Addiction Treatment Today
Aria, which is the Addiction Recovery Institute of America is one of the top drug and alcohol rehab centers in southern Florida. We use clinical, evidence-based research along with holistic approaches to help treat the entire person. Our team also offers many treatment options including medically supervised detox.
We also offer programs for our brave first responders who are battling addiction issues.
Also, many of our outpatient aftercare programs are accessible through our intensive telehealth platform.
Your Journey to lasting recovery starts here! Contact us, here at ARIA, FL to get started with your treatment today. (844) 973-2611