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In life-threatening circumstances, an ambulance should usually be summoned by calling 911. If you cannot reach a qualified professional by telephone to discuss the overdose, it would be prudent for you to take the overdosed person to the nearest hospital’s emergency department or medical facility. The cause of a drug overdose is either by accidental overuse or by intentional misuse. Accidental overdoses result from either a young child or an adult with impaired mental abilities swallowing a medication left within their grasp. An adult (especially seniors or people taking many medications) can mistakenly ingest the incorrect medication or take the wrong dose of a medication. Purposeful overdoses are for a desired effect, either to get high or to harm oneself.

If you find smoking devices, needles, oil vaporizers, or stashes of different devices needed for drug use, you may want to discuss with your loved one what those items are and why they have them. If your drug use is out of control or causing problems, talk to your doctor. If you grew up with family troubles and aren’t close to your parents or siblings, it may raise your chances of addiction. Your brain is wired to make you want to repeat experiences that make you feel good. “10 percent of US adults have drug use di[…]point in their lives.” November 18, 2015.

Environmental Signs of a Drug Problem

The earlier you get treatment for drug addiction (also called substance use disorder) the more likely you are to avoid some of the more dire consequences of the disease. People who become addicted to opioids are often prescribed prescription drugs, such as painkillers, often following something like an accident or surgery. They can then start taking higher doses of those prescription drugs, which can lead to abuse. Overall, 75% of heroin users report that the first opioid they took was a prescription drug.

• Addictive substances alter the brain’s natural circadian rhythm which can actually cause sleep disturbances well after someone has stopped using the drug.
• These signs, similar to those of intoxication, exist in the absence of drinking.
• However, they ultimately have control over their substance use.
• That urge to get and use drugs can fill up every minute of the day, even if you want to quit.
• Someone with a serious addiction problem may allow, ignore, or trivialize these outcomes in favor of continuing their habits.

The fact that this critical part of a teen’s brain is still a work in progress puts them at increased risk for trying drugs or continuing to take them. Introducing drugs during this period of development may cause brain changes that have profound and long-lasting consequences. Click on any substance below to find out some characteristic signs and symptoms of abuse and addiction to that substance. Signs and symptoms of inhalant use vary, depending on the substance. Some commonly inhaled substances include glue, paint thinners, correction fluid, felt tip marker fluid, gasoline, cleaning fluids and household aerosol products.

Drug Overdose

You may misuse drugs to feel good, ease stress, or avoid reality. But usually, you’re able to change your unhealthy habits or stop using altogether. Addiction—to prescription and street drugs and alcohol —is a serious problem.

They may have even told you that they were still going to school or work. You may not even notice this until the school calls or until they stop https://ecosoberhouse.com/ receiving paychecks. As drugs become the primary focus of someone’s life, they often spend more and more time using and obtaining drugs.

Charitable Care & Financial Assistance

Barbiturates carry a higher risk of overdose than benzodiazepines. A person who abuses these drugs may appear uninhibited, dizzy, or depressed. They may experience blurry vision, balance issues, and overall confusion. They may also present with involuntary eye movements, known as nystagmus. When an individual suffering from alcohol use disorder stops drinking, they will experience withdrawal symptoms, such as headaches, nausea, insomnia, and anxiety.

Thankfully, with professional help, people can stop abusing drugs for good and embrace healthier, happier lives. In 2013, 30 percent of overdose deaths involved benzodiazepines like Klonopin, Xanax, or Valium, either alone or in combination with other drugs. While the terms “drug abuse” and “drug addiction” are often used interchangeably, they’re different. Someone who abuses drugs uses a substance too much, too frequently, or in otherwise unhealthy ways. However, they ultimately have control over their substance use.

Risk factors

During the Oxycontin phase, users knew their pill was pure and FDA-approved, and the dosage was imprinted on each pill. Drug dealers today offer counterfeit pills that may contain nothing of what they are sold as, as well as adulterated heroin, cocaine, methamphetamine, and fentanyl, making street use a Russian roulette. Prescription drugs are commonly misused substances by young people.

The new findings follow reports of rising anxiety and depression among the nation’s youth, including unprecedented levels of hopelessness. Teenagers with suspected substance use problems say they turn to drugs because of a crushing need to relax and escape worries, according to research published Thursday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. A classic study proved methadone maintenance should be managed like other SUD treatments and combined with counseling and lifestyle changes. Yet many programs have devolved into medication-only drug delivery vehicles. Committed to helping families find high-quality, ethical treatment providers, the National Association of Addiction Treatment Providers offers a routinely updated Addiction Industry Directory.

Behaviorally, significant changes in activity patterns, social groups, and school or work performance could result from problems with drug use, as can an increased desire for privacy. Behavior in general can become unpredictable, and people may frequently call in sick to work or school. Drug use can push people to borrow or steal money or other valuable items, and to neglect ongoing financial obligations. Irritability and mood swings, problems recalling information, and shifts in sleep-wake patterns are other common accompaniments of substance use. Also among the warning signs is a tendency for those experiencing problems to deny or get highly defensive about observed changes in behavior. Most drugs affect the brain’s “reward circuit,” causing euphoria as well as flooding it with the chemical messenger dopamine.