Substance use disorder: Signs, causes, and treatment

They will have to conduct a thorough psychological examination and work with your primary care provider to learn more about your substance use symptoms before offering a diagnosis. Treatment is available, such as medication to manage withdrawal side effects, long-term medications, counseling, and support groups. In the past, healthcare providers, organizations and members of the public often used the terms “addiction/addict,” “abuse/abuser” and “dependence” when referring to substance use. Examples of medications for substance use disorders include those that treat the various stages of recovery. Different types of substance use disorders can have a wide range of symptoms. However, some common characteristics include personality or attitude changes; sudden weight gain or loss; exhibiting anger, irritability, hyperactivity, agitation, or emotional outbursts; and more.

Symptoms of Substance Use Disorders

There is no known cause of substance use disorder, but several risks have been identified. A person may be more likely to develop a substance use disorder if one of several factors are present. Regardless of the specific type of substance a person is using, there will be similar signs and symptoms. Drug use can have significant and damaging short-term and long-term effects. Taking some drugs can be particularly risky, especially if you take high doses or combine them with other drugs or alcohol.

Signs and symptoms of drug use or intoxication may vary, depending on the type of drug. The risk of addiction and how fast you become addicted varies by drug. Some drugs, such as opioid painkillers, have a higher risk and cause addiction more quickly than others.

It also is essential that the provider tailor treatment, which may include behavioral therapies and medications, to an individual’s specific combination of disorders and symptoms. It should also take into account the person’s age, the misused substance, and the specific mental disorder(s). Talk to your health care provider to determine what treatment may be best for you and give the treatment time to work. Symptoms can be moderate to severe, with addiction being the most severe form of SUD. Substance use disorder is a complex mental health and brain condition.

Naloxone hydrochloride nasal spray is currently available both over-the-counter and by prescription, under different brand names. Prescription options include Kloxxado (8 mg/spray), Rextovy (4 mg/spray), and Rezenopy (10 mg/spray). Narcan (4 mg/spray) and ReVive (3 mg/spray) are brand names available OTC. Synthetic cannabinoids, also called K2 or Spice, are sprayed on dried herbs and then smoked, but can be prepared as an herbal tea.

1. When an opioid overdose is suspected, naloxone hydrochloride should be administered as soon as possible.
2. Synthetic cannabinoids, also called K2 or Spice, are sprayed on dried herbs and then smoked, but can be prepared as an herbal tea.
3. These drugs can cause severe intoxication, which results in dangerous health effects or even death.
4. Opioids are another example of this — the availability and volume of prescription opioids make them easier to access.
5. The type of drug prescribed depends on many factors, including the phase of treatment a person is in.

Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person’s brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you’re addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes. If your drug use is out of control or causing problems, get help.

What is a Substance Use Disorder (SUD)?

You can find these lines listed on the internet or in the phone book. Help from your health care provider, family, friends, support groups or an organized treatment program can help you overcome your drug addiction and stay drug-free. Those who seek help for either drug abuse and/or addiction or another mental disorder should be evaluated for both and then treated accordingly.

How can I find a clinical trial for substance use and co-occurring mental disorders?

What’s important is to start prevention of substance use at an early age. Maintaining sobriety after treatment for substance use is no small undertaking. It’s a lifelong journey involving continually learning how to apply new coping skills to everyday life. Physical addiction appears to occur when repeated use of a drug changes the way your brain feels pleasure. The addicting drug causes physical changes to some nerve cells (neurons) in your brain. Neurons use chemicals called neurotransmitters to communicate.

SUD exists on a spectrum and may be mild, moderate or severe. It typically involves an overpowering desire to use the substance, what are whippets increased tolerance to the substance and/or withdrawal symptoms when you stop taking the substance. People with SUD often experience neurological (brain-related) changes that can affect their judgment, decision-making, learning capacity, memory, and self-control. As a result, you might have symptoms like strong cravings for substances, mood swings, unusual movements, and trouble completing daily activities.

Healthcare professionals take an individualized approach to treating SUD. For a diagnosis of SUD, a person must meet a minimum of 2 out of 11 criteria from the DSM-5-TR over the course of 1 year. Healthcare professionals may perform a medical exam and take a medical history when diagnosing an SUD. People who are in recovery have a higher chance of using substances again. Recurrence can happen even years after you last took the substance. Over 20 million people in the United States have at least one SUD.

SUDs and other mental health conditions are caused by overlapping factors such as genetic vulnerabilities, issues with similar areas of your brain and environmental influences. Fortunately, tharros house SUD is a treatable condition when you receive the right support. Treatment options can vary from person to person, but may include rehabilitation (or, rehab), detoxification and withdrawal management, outpatient programs, and medication-assisted therapies.

Where to find support

Learn more about NIMH’s commitment to accelerating the pace of scientific progress and transforming mental health care. Learn about NIMH priority areas for research and funding that have the potential to improve mental health care over the short, medium, and long term. There are several levels of intensity of substance use treatment. The medications and treatment program recommended will be based on each individual’s situation. Once you’ve been addicted to a drug, you’re at high risk of falling back into a pattern of addiction.

Symptoms of a Substance Use Disorder

For more information on evidence-based guidelines visit Addiction Medicine Primer. A healthcare professional may screen for psychiatric symptoms to short addiction recovery quotes rule out other disorders. In the United States, about 17 million people had both an SUD and a mental health disorder in 2020.