A substance addiction, also known as substance use disorder, can be accompanied by cravings, a lack of interest in what used to be a priority, and sleeplessness.
These and other symptoms are reasons to seek professional substance addiction help. And while the choice to seek help for a substance use disorder may be difficult, it is both meaningful and courageous, opening a way to gain from the expertise of trained healthcare providers in support of recovery and long-term sobriety.
Signs You Should Seek Support
There are multiple signs an individual should seek professional substance addiction support, including:
- Disrupted sleep: Those dealing with substance addiction may have difficulty regulating sleep or experience sleeplessness.
- Impact on day-to-day living: Substance addiction affects work and relationships. It can also lead to time spent accessing and using a substance.
- Inability to stop: Addiction is characterized by continued substance use, even when knowing the risks/harms of use.
- Mood alteration: An individual with a substance use disorder may feel “on edge,” irritable, or have ongoing sadness.
- Loss of interest: One sign of substance addiction is disinterest in things an individual formerly enjoyed, such as hobbies or recreational activities.
- Inability to sit still: Stimulants increase alertness, and some substances cause anxiety. Trouble concentrating is another symptom of substance addiction.
- Increased isolation: Secrecy and withdrawing socially are recognized signs of substance addiction.
- Variation in eating: Substance addiction can lead to an individual consuming more or less food than usual.
- Withdrawal symptoms: There are multiple physical and psychological symptoms associated with substance withdrawal.
- When co-occurring with mental illness: If a substance addiction occurs at the same time as a mental health disorder, conditions and symptoms become more complex.
- Heightened tolerance: A sign that professional support should be pursued is that an increased amount of a substance is required to produce the same effect that a lesser amount used to create.
- Intense cravings: Mental and physical symptoms can result as intense cravings for a substance are experienced.
Types of Substance Addiction
Substance addiction can lead to significant consequences affecting how individuals function day-to-day and their ability to live well in the long run. Alcohol use disorder, also known as alcoholism, is one type of substance addiction. Others are addiction to inhalants, cannabis, opioids such as heroin, and stimulants, including meth.
Substance Addiction As a Co-Occurring Condition
A substance addiction may occur at the same time as a mental health disorder, a combination referred to as a co-occurring disorder or as a dual diagnosis.
In a dual diagnosis, the co-occurring conditions affect each other, with the substance use amplifying the mental health issue and the mental health issue factoring into additional substance use. Such a cycle can be difficult, but dual diagnosis recovery is possible. Treating a substance use disorder and a mental illness together is a helpful approach to sobriety and mental stability.
Benefits of Receiving Professional Support
Trust healthcare providers to recognize and appropriately respond to signs of substance addiction. Benefits of receiving professional care include:
Expertise of trained personnel
The perspectives, training, and experience of professional healthcare workers are valuable. Professionally monitored treatment, including detoxification process oversight and medication management, is available.
Access to evidence-based and multiple treatments
Knowing that the treatments you are receiving have proved effective can provide a level of confidence in your care. Also, a professional healthcare clinic may draw from multiple treatment approaches, including medication, group therapy, one-on-one counseling, and more.
Structure and Personalization
One characteristic of effective substance use disorder treatment is structure. Allow for a professionally designed treatment program, including a well-constructed schedule, to provide structure to your recovery process. Care plans that not only provide structured but also involve personalization bring helpful order and take into account individual circumstances that can influence treatment.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment from API
Alvarado Parkway Institute (API) provides substance use disorder treatment and dual diagnosis care.
A Leveled Approach
We take a leveled approach to substance addiction treatment, meaning care is provided according to the level of need. We offer inpatient psychiatric hospital care, partial hospitalization program (PHP) care, and intensive outpatient program (IOP) care.
Inpatient care is for stabilization and helping an individual progress to outpatient services. The more intense of our outpatient offerings, PHP, delivers structured personalized care without requiring clients to stay in a center overnight. PHP treatment involves therapies, stress management, and more. Our IOP care is for individuals who need less intense care than is offered through our PHP services.
API provides inpatient, PHP, and IOP care at our center in La Mesa, Calif., and IOP care at our San Diego and El Cajon, Calif., locations.
What We Treat
We treat multiple types of substance abuse disorders, including alcohol addiction, opioid use disorder, prescription drug addiction, and more.
Alcohol Addiction
This type of substance addiction is marked by regular and excessive drinking. The symptoms of alcohol addiction include memory issues, compromised coordination, digestive problems, increased time drinking, cravings, weakened judgment, and more.
Opioid Use Disorders
Opioids are substances that block internal signals of pain. There are natural, partially synthetic, and synthetic varieties. Symptoms of an opioid use disorder include cravings, risky behavior, anxiousness, intestinal issues, isolation, sleep pattern disruption, and more. Opioids can be obtained legally as prescription drugs or illicitly, with addiction a risk in both circumstances.
Prescription Drug Addiction
Individuals may become addicted to prescribed medications, using prescription drugs beyond the scope identified by a healthcare provider. Prescription stimulants and sedatives can become addictive. Symptoms of prescription drug addiction include “shopping” for doctors for increased access to medications, drowsiness, stomach problems, altered mood, and increased tolerance.
Other Substance Addictions
Serious and potentially fatal consequences are associated with other types of substance addiction, too, whether those substances are accessed legally or not. Addiction to methamphetamine, cannabis, crack/cocaine, inhalants, synthetics, and other substances poses threats to short- and long-term health and overall ability to function.
Help for Substance Addiction
If you or a loved one is demonstrating signs of substance addiction, please contact API. We offer professional substance use disorder treatment, providing evidence-based care.
