Norfolk

Has Your Drinking or Drug Use Become Out of Control?

If you are starting to suspect that alcohol or drug use is having a negative impact on your life, this is a sign that you need to assess your situation. By the time that most people will begin to have these types of concerns, they will already be well on their way to addiction. This means that they may need some type of help in order to break away from the behaviour. In some cases, the individual will notice the signs before they become physically addicted, and, if this is the case, they may be able to recover with a moderate amount of assistance. Once the individual has crossed the line into addiction though, their only real option is complete abstinence, and they are likely to need a good bit of help in order to escape. If you are unsure about the seriousness of your substance abuse problem and you live in the Norfolk area, we will be happy to discuss this with you. Call us now on 0800 140 4824.

Are You Addicted to Alcohol or Drugs?

The word addiction tends to be used so much in everyday speech that it has lost much of its meaning. When we talk about addiction to alcohol or drugs it does not mean that the person uses these substances regularly or that they like them a lot – it means that they have developed a physical or psychological dependency (usually both). One of the classic signs that a person has become addicted to a substance is that they will continue to use it even when it is obviously causing them some harm. The other signs that a person may be addicted to alcohol or drugs would include:

• · The individual experiences uncomfortable symptoms when they try to quit or reduce their intake of the substance. These symptoms are more commonly known as withdrawals, and they are a sign that the person has become physically dependent (addicted) to the substance.
• · Another sign that the person has developed a physical dependence is that they need to use more of the substance in order to get the same effect that they would previously have obtained from a lower dose. This is known as tolerance and it occurs because the body has needed to adjust to having these chemical inside the bloodstream all the time.
• · The individual is likely to experience cravings for the substance. This is a sign that they have become psychologically addicted.
• · Another sign of psychological dependency is that the individual is unable to imagine how they will be able to cope without the substance.

There are also some other common signs that a person is addicted to alcohol or drugs including:

• · The individual is devoting increasing amounts of time to the substance.
• · They become defensive when their use of the substance is brought into question – this is a sign of denial, and it is one of the other common attributes of addiction.
• · They are unenthusiastic about going places unless there is going to be alcohol or drugs available.
• · They have lost interest in activities they used to enjoy.
• · The individual is struggling to meet their work, family, or social responsibilities.
• · They experience mood swings.
• · They often appear to be ill in the mornings.
• · They have needed to take time off work because of hangover symptoms.
• · The individual feels the need to hide some of their addictive behaviour.
• · The person is developing financial problems.
• · They are developing legal problems because of the addiction.

It is important to realise that the individual is unlikely to experience all of these symptoms listed above. The ones that they are most likely to experience if addicted will be withdrawals and increased tolerance.

If you are concerned that you might be addicted to alcohol or drugs, we will be able to help you. Call us now, or just text the word “help” to 66777 to discuss your options in Norfolk or beyond.