How To Stop Substance Abuse.

There are many factors that can lead to drug addiction and abuse. Someone with a history of addiction in their family is much more likely to become an addict themselves if they are exposed to drugs. Mental illness, such as stress disorders and depression can also play a role in the development of addiction. It can worsen the disease. Physical pain or debilitating diseases can also lead to addiction. Many try to alleviate their symptoms through use of substances without proper medical supervision. For young adults and teenagers, the primary exposure to drugs is peer pressure from their friends. This often sends them down the path to addiction.

Different types of drugs have different physical effects on the body. Some drugs like opiates, benzodiazepines and barbiturates introduce a relaxing effect by slowing down blood pressure, breathing and alertness. Others like cocaine and methamphetamines can lead to hyperactivity by increasing metabolism, blood pressure and often causing difficulty in sleeping.

Signs to look out for include sudden weight loss or weight gain, erratic sleep cycles, confusion, disorientation, injection marks from needle use, persistent coughs from smoking, unexplained sinus or nose bleeds and possible dental problems.

The tolerance built up to the drug makes withdrawal very difficult both physically and mentally. Avoiding withdrawal increases dependency of the drug and raises the risks involved with prolonged drug use. Fear of having to live without the drug is often what keeps addicts from seeking the help they need.

It is not easy for an addict to admit they have a problem and need help. For loved ones it is sometimes difficult to realize someone they care about has a drug problem. Denial can not only affect the addict but also those who care about them. Many people feel ashamed that their friends or a member of their family or even their partner has a drug problem. Therefore they won't admit it to themselves. But the truth is millions of people and families are affected by drug abuse over all racial, cultural and socio-economic lines. Fortunately, help is available.

Recovery is not an easy task. Someone with an addiction can't be forced to stop taking drugs. The first step is to find a support group in your area which can help your loved one and offer the right support for them. The final choice to stop is up to them. But encouragement and support makes the process much more bearable.

It is unrealistic to expect someone to stop abusing drugs without the appropriate support measures. Drug addiction is a physical and mental dependence on drugs that cannot be stopped with strong willpower. Support is necessary to help them engage in recovery and for them to go through the withdrawal process. Withdrawal is dangerous and very unpleasant and needs to be supervised by medical professionals. They make certain all health risks are monitored.

Addiction is something that will affect that person for the rest of their life. Recovery is an ongoing process. There is no instant cure and once a person is sober it does not mean they will stop craving. New coping skills need to be learned in order to resist temptation. Ongoing support is very important. Often drug abuse stems from psychosocial problems that need to be dealt with. If not, the person can fall back into the habit of using drugs.

There are many support groups world-wide to help those with drug addictions. To merely know they are not alone in their addiction can be immensely comforting and supportive to an addict. Support groups are also available for families of addicts to help them cope with the way the drug abuse has affected the family as a whole. Support groups such as Twelve Step groups are located in many countries around the world. Without these highly respected programs and groups the world would be a much poorer place.

Alcohol abuse, also known as alcoholism, is a serious addiction that compels the sufferer to consume alcohol to the point where they are physically and mentally dependent on it. It becomes disruptive to their life, causing major social damage and leads to serious adverse health effects.

A person suffering from alcoholism typically has impaired judgment and continues to abuse alcohol even though they are aware of the bad health effects and even after symptoms start to manifest. The physical symptoms of alcohol abuse include epilepsy, alcoholic dementia, pancreatitis, liver cirrhosis, sexual dysfunction, increased cancer risk and in severe cases death. Alcohol intoxication is also the second leading cause of dementia, with about 10% of all dementia cases being alcohol related.

Because of the way alcohol affects brain chemistry and function, it has a highly adverse effect on mental health, resulting in the psychological decline of sufferers. Anxiety and depression is common among alcoholics. Up to 25% of those who abuse alcohol present with severe psychiatric disturbances. Alcoholics have also been noted to develop panic disorder as a result of longer alcohol abuse. The abuse can also trigger or worsen underlying panic disorders because of the effect that alcohol has on the brain's neuro-chemical system. Psychiatric symptoms also initially worsen during withdrawal from alcohol. But this improves with time after withdrawal symptoms have cleared.

Suicide rates are very high among alcoholics, with 8% to 21% of alcoholics successfully committing suicide. The risk of suicide is suggested to be approximately 5080 times greater than that of a sober person. Psychosis is a secondary symptom of many alcohol-related conditions and presents itself typically with acute intoxication and even during withdrawal after strong intake of alcohol.

Social problems that arise from alcohol abuse are caused because of the change in behavior of alcoholics due to both the physical and mental effects it has on sufferers. As such, if someone is drunk or intoxicated at work, they could stand to lose their job. This leads to a vicious downward spiral resulting in financial problems and often homelessness.

Being drunk can lead to legal implications such as drunken driving charges and disorderly conduct in public. Interpersonal relations are also negatively affect and can lead to a breakdown in relationships with loved ones because of behavioral changes and impaired judgment. It is often difficult to repair these relationships, even after an alcoholic has become sober.