Substance Abuse: Drug Abuse Types, Symptoms, and Treatment
It began as fun motivated by peer pressure but got bolstered by episodes of chronic stress, mental illness, and my family's history of drug addiction. That was how I became engulfed in the world of Substance abuse programs Hillsboro.
The more I sought refuge in the addiction of the substance I was abusing, the deeper I sank into emotional distress, anxiety, depression, and stress disorders, which drove me deeper into abuse and addiction. To some, it was substance abuse. To me, it was an attempt to escape from the stresses of life and the distress I had caused myself by beginning to use the substance in the first place.
It took the combined efforts of Portland Recovery Center social workers to help me understand I was a substance abuse victim. During my formative engagement with the social worker, I learned about Portland's Substance abuse programs Portland, the different types of drug abuse, and the symptoms that alerted the social worker I was a drug abuse victim.
What is drug abuse?
Drug abuse is defined as the use of illegal drugs, as well as the incorrect or excessive use of prescription or over-the-counter drugs for purposes other than those for which they were prescribed. It includes both illegal substances obtained on the street and legally obtained substances. This vice also includes the use of drugs obtained legally from doctors through dubious means.
People intentionally or unintentionally abuse any substance, including medication, compounds, or drugs, in order to achieve an altered state of consciousness, euphoria, or both. Most abuse results in severe withdrawal, which necessitates medically managed detox if the abuser wishes to stop.
Types and symptoms of drug abuse
Here’re the most common types of drug abuse:
- Alcohol abuse
This is the most prevalent form of drug abuse. Many people use alcohol to temporarily escape from the stresses of life because it produces short-term euphoria and sedation. Alcoholism causes severe physical handicaps, liver damage, and eventually mental health deterioration.
Alcohol use slows down bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing. It generates varied feelings ranging from minor sedation to complete anesthesia.
Because most alcoholic beverages contain a lot of sugar, abusing them causes a dangerous combination of mild stimulation and depression. Slurred speech, impaired motor functioning, impaired judgment, and staggering behaviors are all symptoms of alcohol abuse.
- Use of narcotics
Opiates are the classification as narcotics. Morphine, heroin, and their derivates, such as hydrocodone and Vicodin, are among them. Drowsiness, difficulty concentrating, apathy, decreased physical acuity, constriction of the pupils, flushing of the face and neck, constipation, nausea and vomiting, and respiratory depression are all symptoms of narcotic abuse.
- Use of amphetamines
Amphetamines stimulate the production of the neurotransmitters dopamine and norepinephrine, resulting in a rush and high that inevitably leads to more of its use, with subsequent doses reinforcing the previous. Regular amphetamine use can result in amphetamine psychosis.
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Amphetamine abuse symptoms include hallucinations, delusions, paranoia, and strange and violent behavior.
- Abuse of prescription drugs
Prediction of drug abuse encompasses a wide range of medications used to treat a variety of ailments. The vast majority of prescription drug abuse is relatively safe in terms of Addiction treatment in Portland. However, the medications of interest in terms of abuse potential include stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall, which are used to treat ADHD, as well as sedatives and tranquilizers and narcotic painkillers such as Percocet, Vicodin, and Morphine.
Prescription drug abuse symptoms include drug-seeking behavior, taking higher-than-recommended doses, hostility, appearing intoxicated and lethargic, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, and mood swings related to the availability of prescription medications.
- Abuse of benzodiazepines
Benzodiazepines are hypnotic types of sedatives and tranquilizers. They work by slowing down bodily functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, and breathing by depressing the central nervous system.
Excessive sedation, impaired mental status, and decreased postural stability and reflexes distinguish benzodiazepine abuse. An acute overdose can cause respiratory depression, which can lead to a coma and even uncommonly death.
- Use of club drugs
Teens, adolescents, and young adults are the most likely to abuse club drugs. Ecstasy (MDMA), Gamma-hydroxybutyric Acid (GHB), and Ketamine Hrodichloride are examples of stimulants and depressants (Special K). These have become popular among young people who attend raves, bars, concerts, and nightclubs.
Club drug abuse symptoms include increased anxiety and stress, mood swings, high blood pressure, mental loss, difficulty making decisions, weight loss, dehydration and exhaustion, and headaches.
- Use of hallucinogens
Hallucinogens include deliriants, psychedelics, and dissociatives. Hallucinogen abuse is linked to altered states of being or consciousness, as well as dreaming and medication-like states.
- Use of Cocaine
Cocaine is extremely addictive. It is a highly potent stimulant derived from the coco plant and is available in powder form. Excitement, dilated pupils, runny nose, weight loss, mood swings, social isolation, risky behaviors, nosebleeds, boosted confidence, talkative habits, changes in sleeping and eating patterns, and white powder residue around the nose and mouth are all symptoms of cocaine use.
Drug abuse treatment
Depending on the severity of your drug abuse, you may require one or more levels of care to achieve long-term recovery. The following will be included in the treatment:
- Detoxification
This is a medically managed program assisting drug abuse patients in stabilizing and overcoming withdrawal symptoms. Detoxification can last anywhere from a few days to several weeks. Once stabilized, the patient may require the services of an inpatient program, such as those offered by subsistence abuse programs Portland.
- Inpatient residential rehab
This is a type of drug abuse treatment offering patients live-in care. To overcome their addiction, patients receive supervised treatment and structured care plans.
- Outpatient rehab and intensive outpatient treatment
Because patients do not need to be on-site or live at the treatment facility, they can attend therapy and receive treatment on their own time. Some outpatient treatment programs also provide night and weekend services. As a result, they are popular among patients having personal, family, school, and professional obligations preventing them from attending inpatient rehab.
- Partial hospitalization
When patients enter drug abuse treatment, partial hospitalization is a treatment program providing them the structure and support they need to begin the stabilization process. It consists of 4 to 6-hour group and individual sessions per day, 3-5 days per week, and can last from one week to a month depending on the patient's needs.
All of the treatments mentioned above employ various treatment methods, such as cognitive behavior therapy (CBT), individual counseling, group therapy, support groups, art therapy, exercise therapy, as well as fitness and nutritional therapy.
How to find substance abuse facilities near me
If you need assistance in finding a substance abuse treatment facility or help to take your next steps to addiction recovery, feel free to reach out to Another Chance at (971) 272-8968 or via email: info@anotherchancerehab.com.