When you use any substance – it can be drugs, alcohol, or any other substance for mood-altering purposes, beyond the intended or recommended limit, it is known as substance abuse.
If this definition sounds familiar to you, and you think you or your family member is prone to any substance abuse, do not panic! Substance abuse treatment that can help you to cope with this challenge is widely available and broadly accepted.
Symptoms of Substance Abuse
Know that you are crossing the line into substance abuse when due to repeated use of the particular substance you feel the following significant impairments
- Health problems
- Disabilities
- Unable to meet your responsibilities
- Weakened sense of control
- Use in a life-threatening manner
- Problems with loved ones
- Abuse, mostly child abuse
In simple terms, if you consume alcohol to the limit where you have terrible hangovers, use drugs enough to make you miss your work, or smoke marijuana to the extent where your friends start ignoring you – you are probably stepping into the abuse level.
Also Read: How long does it take to be a rehabilitation therapist?
Drug abuse in today’s scenario
Thanks to early exposure, drug abuse in today’s world have become common from a young age, and it is a very severe problem. According to a review published in India Indian Journal of Psychiatry, the prevalence of substance use among men and women in India was 11.9 and 1.7%, respectively (The study included data from 1968 to 2000).
Illegal drugs not only alter your mood, but it can cause temporary impairment, which affects your brain’s functioning, cloud your judgments, and can even be fatal. Before substance abuse destroys our society, it is vital that we encourage the Government to raise more awareness on drug treatment, and in case you know someone suffering, help him to move out of it.
We have synthetic drugs, bath salts, synthetic marijuana – these are not yet illegal in many countries, but they also can be abused and pose probable dangers to your health.
Alcohol, over-the-counter medications, inhalants, even caffeine, and cigarettes can be used to such an extent that it becomes harmful for you. In fact, some of these substances such as inhalants are so readily available at home that children have easy access to them, and they start using them even before knowing a drop in substance abuse!
If not controlled on time, any substance can be abused!
In case you want help to deal with substance abuse, reach our rehab centre in delhi immediately.
Contact on : 097178 86633
This blog was reviewed by Dr. Anant (MBBS, DNB Psychiatry), a Consultant Psychiatrist at Safe House Premium. He has written articles for print media like NDTV and has recently written on Mental Health effects due to COVID. Dr. Anant specializes in treating Depression, Anxiety, Schizophrenia, Obsessive-Compulsive Disorders, and de-addiction and rehabilitation of Alcohol and Drug dependence syndrome.
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