It may be difficult to determine whether or not you need addiction help. The haze of drugs and alcohol, along with the denial that often accompanies substance abuse, can make it hard to make that decision. If you are questioning whether or not you need treatment, please call our hope line at 1-855-TND-HOPE. Our compassionate and experienced admissions staff can help you answer the difficult question: “Do I need treatment?”
The following are some signs and symptoms of addiction that may signal you need addiction help:
- Tolerance: You need to consume more and more of a drug each time to achieve the desired effect.
- Continued use despite negative consequences: You continue to use drugs or alcohol despite negative emotional, physical, financial or social consequences.
- Withdrawal: As the effects of drug or alcohol wear off, you may experience symptoms of withdrawal, including: anxiety, shakiness or trembling, sweating, nausea and vomiting, insomnia, irritability, fatigue, headaches, etc.
- Denial: You become defensive when asked about your substance use.
- Secrecy: You begin to hide your substance use from your family and friends.
- Mood Swings: You begin to experience rapid or uncharacteristic mood swings.
- Cravings: You start to obsessively think about acquiring and using your drug(s) of choice.
- Risk Taking: You are more likely to take serious risks in order to obtain your drug(s) of choice.
- Loss of Control: You have lost control over the amount and frequency of your substance use.
These are just a few of the signs of drug and alcohol addiction. If you have experienced even some of the above-mentioned signs, you need addiction help. Addiction is a chronic, progressive and fatal disease if left untreated. This means that over time, it gets worse, never better. The time to get help for your addiction is now.