If you are struggling with addiction, help is available.

Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s National Helpline is a free, confidential, 24/7, 365-day-a-year treatment referral and information service (in English and Spanish) for individuals and families facing mental and/or substance use disorders.

 1-800-662-HELP (4357)

Substance use can become an addiction when using alcohol or drugs starts to feel difficult to control and begins interfering with your health, relationships, work, responsibilities, or daily life.

It’s not always about how often someone uses a substance. What matters is how much control they feel they have over it and what happens because of that use.

Common Signs of Substance Addiction

Some common signs include:

• Using more of a substance than you planned
• Trying to cut back but finding it difficult
• Spending a lot of time thinking about, getting, using, or recovering from substances
• Needing more of the substance to feel the same effect
• Feeling sick, anxious, irritable, or uncomfortable when you stop
• Continuing to use even when it is causing problems in relationships, work, school, finances, or health
• Giving up activities or responsibilities because of substance use
• Using substances in situations that may be unsafe
• Feeling like you need a substance to relax, sleep, cope, socialize, or get through the day

Addiction can develop gradually. Someone may start using a substance occasionally, then more often, and eventually realize it has become part of how they cope with stress, emotional pain, trauma, anxiety, depression, or other difficult experiences.

It can also be hard to recognize because people often compare themselves to others and think, “I’m not as bad as someone else,” or “I can still go to work, so I must be okay.” But you don’t have to wait until substance use causes a major problem before talking with a therapist, counselor, or addiction therapist.

Substance abuse therapy can help you look honestly at your substance use, understand what may be driving it, and decide what kind of support would be most helpful.

When Is It Time to Try Addiction Therapy?

Therapy may be worth considering if you’ve started wondering whether your drinking or drug use is becoming harder to control, if you are using substances to cope with stress or painful emotions, or if your use is beginning to affect your relationships, work, health, finances, or responsibilities.

You may also want to reach out if you have tried to cut back on your own and found it difficult, if people close to you have expressed concern, or if you feel ashamed, secretive, or worried about your substance use.

You don’t have to wait until things get worse to ask for help. Reaching out can be the first step toward understanding what’s happening and making positive changes.

For more information or to schedule an appointment, contact us today.