How to Identify Drug and Alcohol Problems
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How do you know that you have drug and alcohol problems?
When is it evident that you are involving yourself in hazardous drinking and drug abuse?
If you have ineffectively struggled to stop drinking or taking drugs or if you have given your word to yourself that your drug abuse and
drinking days are terminated and then you recognized that you were drinking irresponsibly or taking drugs just a few days later, the odds are
incredibly good that you have drug and alcohol problems.
The major point of emphasis is that if you have tried to quit drinking and taking drugs and cannot get this accomplished, then your drinking
and drugs are controlling you, rather than the other way around.
In much the same way, if it takes increasingly more amounts of alcohol or drugs to get the same “buzz,” you probably need to become aware that
you have a drug and an alcohol problem.

The Rationale for Engaging in Drug and Alcohol Abuse
You may be telling yourself that you take drugs and drink excessively so that you can lessen your anxiety or get rid of the distress that you
feel. Similarly, you may take drugs or drink excessively in order to stay away from a hurtful circumstance or because you are looking for
something that makes you feel less sad or mournful.
As you continue to drink and take drugs, on the other hand, you will become aware that neither drinking nor taking drugs result in the same
“high” and you will also comprehend that taking drugs and drinking excessively don’t help remove whatever triggered your discomfort and pain in
the first place.
As you continue to take drugs and drink in a hazardous way, regrettably, you may become addicted to alcohol and/or drugs, and as a
consequence, you may have to deal with a complicated issue to deal rather than uncovering more productive and beneficial ways of managing your
life in a drug and alcohol-free manner.
The Need for a Drug and Alcohol Appraisal
If you have concluded that you have drug and alcohol
problems, perchance the best thing you can do for yourself is to call your doctor or healthcare professional and schedule an appointment for
a physical and for an appraisal of your drug and alcohol abuse. If you honestly think that you have a serious drinking and drug abuse
problem, it may be a good idea to prepare yourself for the fact that you probably need to get drug and alcohol abuse treatment.
At this point in time, what are your alternatives? You can unquestionably decide against seeing your physician and continue your pattern of
hazardous drinking and drug abuse. It really doesn’t take a genius, nonetheless, to comprehend that chronic, abusive drinking and drug
abuse, if left untreated, will worsen over time, lead to severe health problems, and in all probability set in motion an early death. Thus, your
most practical alternative is to address your drug and alcohol problems and get the rehabilitation that you need.
| According to the substance abuse research literature, alcohol is the main drug of abuse by people who are treated
in most drug rehab clinics, drug and alcohol rehabilitation hospitals, and substance abuse treatment facilities. |
The Facade of the Functioning Alcoholic and Drug Addict
It is somewhat odd to note the fact that several
alcoholics and drug addicts lead active and relatively “normal” lives and have pets, vehicles, houses, jobs, families, and any number of
material possessions just like individuals who are not addicted to alcohol or drugs.
Many of these “functional” drug and alcohol addicted individuals may never have been apprehended for a DUI and may have been fortunate enough
to avoid all drug and alcohol generated legal difficulties. Despite this “fortunate” situation, then again, these drug and alcohol addicted
people need to take drugs and alcohol in order to operate on a regular basis while maintaining their facade as they interact with people outside
their family.
Ask anyone who has seen the drug or alcohol abuser when they are out on a bingeing episode, when they blackout from drugs or alcohol, or ask a
family member about the addict’s drug and alcohol dependency, on the other hand, and they will be quick to articulate the truth about the drug
and alcohol addict’s lifestyle and problems.
| U.S. prison statistics reveal that approximately 50% of the state prisoners and 40% of federal prisoners who have
been put into jail for committing violent crimes state that they were under the influence of drugs or alcohol (or both) when they
committed their crimes. |
Why Do Drug Addicts and Alcoholics Fail to Admit Their Drug and Alcohol Problems?
As substance abuse and alcoholism research studies have underscored, no matter how apparent the drug and alcohol induced difficulties seem to
those who interact with the drug and alcohol dependent individual, drug addicts and alcoholics regularly deny that drinking and drugs are the
cause of their abuse-related problems. Not only this, but drug addicts and alcoholics normally blame their addiction-related predicaments on
other people or upon other circumstances around them instead of seeing their part in the issue.

It seems like a difficult pill to swallow but the root of the predicament is that drug addiction and alcohol dependency are diseases of the
brain. What is more, once the individual has become drug and alcohol dependent, he or she frequently resorts to denial, manipulation, and deceit
as a way of dealing with the fact that his or her drug and alcohol abuse is out of control.
And to make the situation more difficult, the experience of drug and alcohol withdrawal symptoms often counteract the addict’s attempts to
refrain from drugs and alcohol. As dismal as the drug and alcohol addict’s existence is, however, the positive news is that professional
assistance is widely available – if the drug and alcohol dependent person reaches out and gets the addiction treatment he or she needs.
| All drugs of abuse activate brain reward pathways that are very old from an evolutionary point of view. These
pathways mediate an individual's response to natural rewards, such as social interaction, food, and sex. Drugs of
abuse activate these reward pathways with great power not seen under normal environmental conditions. |
How to Identify Drug and Alcohol Problems: Conclusion
Coming to grips with the fact that taking drugs and abusing alcohol are bringing about serious issues in your day to day functioning is
perhaps the most straightforward way to find out if you have drug and alcohol problems. More to the point, if your drug and alcohol abuse
is leading to dangerous problems with your health, at work, in your relationships, with your finances, at school, or with the legal system, then
you have drug and drinking problems that need to be dealt with.
While some drinkers and drug abusers may be able to identify their drinking and drug abuse difficulties and significantly reduce the quantity
and frequency of their drug use and alcohol intake, other individuals, nonetheless, need to address their drug and alcohol abuse by getting
professional substance abuse rehabilitation.
| Addiction is an extremely difficult disease from which to recover and it almost always requires treatment from
professionals who are trained in drug and alcohol addiction. |
Furthermore, due to their inclination to deny the facts and warp the truth, alcoholics and drug addicts clearly require quality drug and
alcohol treatment for their drug and alcohol dependencies.
The bottom line is this: if you have drug and alcohol problems, it is to your advantage to get the best rehabilitation you can afford so that
you can recover from your abusive drinking and from your drug abuse.
| When it is looked at closely, it can be seen that drug and alcohol abuse can destroy families in a number of
different ways. For instance, according to substance abuse research, more than 75% of female victims of nonfatal,
domestic violence stated that their assailant had been using drugs or had been drinking. |
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| The drug and alcohol abuse research literature reveals that many U.S. employers are developing and implementing
drug and alcohol testing programs. Why are they doing this? Mainly to substantially cut down on drug and
alcohol-related accidents, injuries, and fatalities; to improve work performance; to increase safety; to reduce their workers
compensation premiums; and to make progress in establishing a drug-free workplace. |
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