Substance abuse occurs when a drug or other substance is used for purposes other than therapeutic purposes. It involves the excessive and improper use of substances that lead to physical, psychological, or social problems. Substance abuse can result in addiction, where a person becomes dependent on it.
Tolerance
means your body becomes less sensitive to a drug over time. You might need to take higher doses to feel the same effects. Tolerance happens because your nervous system adapts to the drug. It's important to know that tolerance is not the same for all effects of a drug, and it can develop at different speeds. When you stop taking a drug, your tolerance can decrease, so if you start using it again at the same dose, you could overdose.
Tolerance can also happen faster if you've been addicted before. Additionally, building tolerance to one drug might cause tolerance to another. We still don't fully understand the exact mechanisms of tolerance and withdrawal.
Addictions can be harmful. Some common ones include:
Please make sure to inform your doctor if you've ever struggled with substance abuse, whether it's with prescription drugs, illegal substances, or alcohol.
It's significant to mention if:
Your doctor needs to know if you're worried about these issues or have dealt with them in the past.
The effects of substance abuse on the brain are diverse. This article covers general aspects of substance abuse, describes the physical impacts of using different substances, and briefly discusses the neuroscience of addiction. Additionally, it presents available treatments for addicts and clarifies the differences between the terms tolerance, abuse, and dependence. The prevalence of substance abuse varies widely depending on the specific substance.
Alcohol abuse and dependence are linked to various health risks, including harmful effects during pregnancy, impaired thinking, and injuries. The known birth defects caused by alcohol abuse include facial abnormalities, delayed growth before and after birth, and abnormalities in the structure or function of the central nervous system. Persistent behavior disorders and learning challenges can last a lifetime and seem to be disproportionately large compared to the cognitive deficit.
Long-term alcohol abuse can lead to toxicity and withdrawal symptoms. These characteristic changes can be seen in brain imaging studies. Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome, associated with a lack of thiamine in the diet of alcoholics, is linked to neuroimaging findings consistent with neuropathological findings. The occurrence of this syndrome is low but is frequently underrecognized and not well-described.
Injuries are also strongly linked to alcohol consumption, especially in young adults.
Marijuana and cocaine are commonly found in forensic laboratories, according to the latest data. Cocaine or crack was the most common cause of hospitalization in six out of fifteen centers, excluding hospitalizations related to alcohol abuse. Cocaine is frequently used alongside other substances, such as marijuana or opiates, by hospitalized patients, with crack being the most commonly used form.
Many patients in emergency departments, particularly those in myocardial infarction and stroke units, commonly experience poisoning and withdrawal syndromes, as depicted. The increased use of cocaine has serious medical ramifications, such as the premature onset of diseases and teratogenic effects. Cocaine abuse frequently leads to epileptic seizures, ischemic and hemorrhagic strokes, as well as vasculitis. In terms of neuropsychological effects, attention disorders and short-term memory impairment are common. Although neuropathological changes have not been definitively outlined, the frequent damage to white matter suggests vasculopathy. Cocaine use during pregnancy is linked to earlier delivery and reduced fetal growth.
Poisoning and withdrawal syndromes include:
Identifying addiction can be challenging. It becomes even more difficult when it involves a loved one due to the strong emotional connection. Furthermore, the type of addiction plays a significant role; for instance, alcohol addiction presents differently from addiction to computer games.
These objects should raise awareness if you notice unusual items such as needles, syringes, pipes, sooty spoons or silverware, tablets with unfamiliar patterns, and various powders.
Additionally, be observant for changes in your loved one's behavior, such as:
These symptoms should raise concern and act as a warning signal, although they may not always indicate addiction.
Whenever there are suspicions of addiction, initiating a conversation with the person is the first step. It's crucial to prepare for the conversation in advance, emphasizing your perspective and expressing concern for their well-being. Providing support and offering help in finding professional assistance is valuable. The rest of the article explains where to seek help.
One key element in the development of addiction is the family. Depending on the relationship, structure, and other factors describing family ties, you can distinguish elements that are risk factors or protective factors. Knowledge about them is necessary to help a loved one avoid undesirable behaviors effectively.
Family bond refers to the relationship between family members, e.g.,, between a parent and child. Suppose the bond is strong and family members have close contact with each other. In that case, it directly reduces the chances of using psychoactive substances, but also indirectly – due to children choosing friends without addictions. It is worth remembering that family bonds are a process built throughout life. In the case of families with children, it is the parent's responsibility to properly build close relationships in the early years of their offspring's lives.
The level of communication is responsible for the quality of conversations between family members. Low level of conversations, undefined and poorly communicated expectations, excessive severity, and inconsistent discipline – these elements increase the likelihood of reaching for psychoactive substances.
The behavior of family members can reinforce both negative and positive behavioral patterns. Smoking by parents can encourage children to experiment with cigarettes in their youth and drink alcohol. Parents should be aware that their behavior affects their children and whether they will reach for stimulants.
Parental supervision includes counteracting children's addictions and behaviors, such as knowing what they are doing. This is particularly important in the era of the Internet and the transfer of an increasing part of life to the virtual world. Here, we can indicate direct actions—such as preventing addictions in children—and indirect ones, e.g., limiting contact with people who use psychoactive substances.
If someone we care about is struggling with addiction, we may want to help them. However, remember that we are not professionals in the field of addiction therapy.
Despite the lack of knowledge and specialist techniques, each of us can safely support and motivate people abusing substances or having addictive behaviors. Regardless of our willingness to help, we should always care for ourselves.
Some people's desire to help others is so strong that they do it at their own expense. Such behavior is inappropriate, and the help we offer should be within the safe limits of our capabilities.
Empathy is the ability to feel another person's emotions. It is also significant to contact a person with an addiction problem. Using empathy, we try to understand and accept the other person's point of view. In this way, we avoid criticizing beliefs and views. If the conversation is based on criticism, it will not be possible to build a friendly atmosphere, which is necessary for working on changing addictive behaviors.
Talk about the other person's addiction, and point out the facts, but avoid judgment. It can be helpful to point out the negative consequences of addiction, e.g., that someone crashed their car while driving under the influence of alcohol. It is a reference to a fact, not an assessment.
Bearing the consequences of your behavior related to addiction is an essential part so that the family does not try to protect the person with symptoms of addiction from the consequences of their actions at all costs. If someone decides to take psychoactive substances, they must expect a prison sentence in the case of illegal stimulants. Similarly, if someone lost their entire paycheck on slot machines, they should expect to run out of money and not another loan from the family.
Family therapy (or for couples) has been confirmed to be more effective than individual therapy. This type of professional help covers the entire family, so it engages all the processes occurring in the relationships between its members, which supports the process of breaking away from addiction.
Additionally, the therapist takes care of the safety of all the people involved. You can often hear the term “co-dependents”, meaning family members who do not use psychoactive substances, but who have some symptoms of addiction through a close relationship. Family therapy also helps to cope with these symptoms.
Help find professional help. Addiction therapy is one of the most demanding forms of therapy, and it should be carried out by specialists. At the very beginning, it is worth contacting a psychologist who could assess what form of therapy is indicated and advise us where it would be best to seek help (e.g., in a therapeutic center, day hospital, or detoxification ward).
Psychotherapy and counseling can help to delve into the underlying causes of drug and alcohol use, providing insight and understanding. It can lead to healthier ways of coping with these issues and an improved sense of well-being.
Psychotherapy stands as a fundamental step in treating any addiction. Even the most advanced medications won't yield the desired results if the patient lacks a genuine desire to overcome the illness. However, there is no one-size-fits-all psychotherapy program for addiction; the treatment plan should always be tailored to the individual, considering their personality, the duration and form of the addiction, and various other factors.
Participation in self-help groups is also encouraged for addictions so that individuals facing similar challenges can exchange their experiences—both positive and negative—and discuss the difficulties encountered during therapy as well as their successes. This principle forms the foundation for one of the most well-known rehabilitation programs, the “12 steps” in AA clubs.
Even after completing rehabilitation, there remains a risk of relapse. A setback, triggered by various stressful situations, can result in a return to addiction. Therefore, it's advisable to continue with a therapist for what's known as maintenance therapy. It helps prevent relapses and helps handle the inevitable psychological challenges that arise when seeking new employment, interacting with colleagues, and building family relationships.
Alcohol and drug addicts are not the same. The main aim of any treatment is to achieve abstinence. The treatment approach should be tailored to each individual.
Following the principles of harm reduction, preventing relapse, and achieving abstinence, the treatment goals should involve reducing the frequency and amount of substance use, as well as minimizing the severity and frequency of relapses.
The treatment should also aim to enhance the psychological well-being and overall quality of life for individuals struggling with addiction. In this section, we will not delve into current strategies for detoxification and managing withdrawal symptoms; rather, we will focus on neuropharmacological approaches for addressing substance abuse and dependence.
The effects of treatment should be established. Support after the treatment process is completed may be provided through a post-rehabilitation offer, including support groups, relapse prevention, vocational courses, social and legal assistance, and the possibility of temporary accommodation in a hostel or a readaptation apartment.
Table of Contents
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Dissociative identity disorder Ii is characterized by the presence of at least two independent and different personalities in one person.… read more »
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Psychotherapy, is a treatment method used to help individuals with a wide range of mental health conditions and emotional challenges. read more »
