[0:00]Ever wonder why some people struggle with drug addiction, while others seem to avoid it without any issue? I'm Dave Prabhu, a clinician with three years of experience helping people recover from drug addiction. Let's explore the four causes and five signs that drug dependence has a tight hold on your life. Cause number one, genetic predisposition. It's not just your life experiences that play a role in drug dependence. Nature plays a role too. Genetics can make you prone to drug addiction, so it's essential to know if there's any history of dependence in your family. Unfortunately, addiction often runs in the family and though there isn't a single DNA strand that codes for addiction, patterns are often noticed in families. According to Rugger's Addiction Research Center, alcohol addiction is about 50% heritable. While addiction to other drugs are as much as 70% inheritable. People with the highest level of risk were four times more likely to develop a substance use disorder than people with the lowest risk. A large part of genetic risk is related to self-regulation, which reflects how differently wired brains process risk and reward. A genetic risk in the family towards substance use does not mean substance use is your destiny and is unavoidable. Finding healthy coping mechanisms to distress is the key to avoid falling into the pit of addiction and dependency. Cause number two, peer pressure and social environment. The company you keep can shape your choices. Peer pressure and a drug-friendly environment can strongly impact the chances that you fall into a substance use disorder. Alcohol, nicotine and marijuana are so easily accessible as we see vape shops, dispensaries and liquor stores on almost every block. Alcohol and nicotine are available in every mall, restaurant, sports arena and even grocery stores. If you're surrounded by people who use substances regularly, especially to cope with distress or to fit in, it is likely their influence would lead you down a similar path. On the other hand, being surrounded by healthy support systems, who may or may not be sober, but are willing to make positive changes in their lives, would lead you down a healthier path. Cause number three, mental health struggles. Mental health and substance abuse often go hand-in-hand. People sometimes turn to drugs as a way to cope with underlying emotional pain. Drug use can worsen mental health symptoms, leading to a damaging cycle of self-medication or numbing. As humans, we are wired to find solutions to problems, but some of those solutions could be bad for our health and get us into trouble or worse, they could hurt others. Often, people use and abuse alcohol to manage symptoms of anxiety or depression. This can be at the bar using liquid courage to build your nerve to flirt with someone new, or at home helping you avoid the stressors of work and relationship. Long-term alcohol use can lead to problems with coordination, impulse control, liver scarring and inflammation, bone thinning and fractures, sleep disturbances, nerve damage, and early onset dementia. And long-term marijuana use has worsening symptoms of depression or anxiety, psychosis, temporary hallucinations, paranoia, memory loss, impaired judgment, respiratory difficulties, and increased risk of pneumonia. Often long-term substance use also leads to a buildup tolerance and needing more to have the same desired effects. Cause number four, curiosity and experimentation. Sometimes curiosity leads down a dangerous path. Experimenting with drugs out of curiosity can quickly escalate into abuse, especially when it starts to take higher doses to reach the desired effect. Often using substances to cope with mental or physical distress can lead to increasing your use through more potent means. Like drinking beer to managing anxiety may not work long-term as one bottle of beer after a while may no longer be enough. It's easy to start drinking more or switching to beverages that have higher alcohol content like wine, vodka, and rum. Now that we know what can cause drug dependence, let's take a look at the signs it may be time to seek professional help. Sign one, you have a sudden change in behavior. Abrupt shifts in behavior, mood swings or social withdrawal can be a symptom of drug abuse. It is difficult to see sudden changes in our own behavior, but it is often evident to others in our lives. These shifts in behaviors include impulsive and sometimes dangerous behaviors such as teens skipping curfew or sneaking out of the house in the middle of the night. Mood swings can include manic states, high aggression and irritability or withdrawing from friends or family. Self-medicating using substances can also lead to worsening symptoms long-term, whether that is anxiety or physical pain. Sign number two, neglecting responsibilities. When important responsibilities start taking a backseat to drug use, it is time to really start paying attention to where substances fall on your list of priorities. Life's demands deserve your focus and you might be dedicating more of your time and energy to drug addiction than you realize. Unlike dependence, which I will discuss, the term addiction often refers to using substances or behaviors despite disturbances in everyday life. People in their addiction will often choose their drug of choice or behavior of choice despite consistent issues in their life such as missing school or work, failing classes, issues with relationships, financial stressors, losing interest in hobbies, rising health issues and even trouble with the law. Sign number three, increased tolerance. If you need larger and larger amounts of substance to achieve the same effects you did before, the cycle of dependence has started. Dependency to substances can be best described as a need to use the substance to continue normal daily functioning. This can be as simple as daily coffee use to wake up or have the energy to go to work or school. Eventually, one cup of coffee isn't enough for an entire day. People end up drinking coffee every couple of hours or switching to beverages with higher levels of caffeine like energy drinks or liquid caffeine. I use caffeine as an example because it's an often ignored substance in discussions of substance use issues. Dependency can often happen with other substances as well with people needing alcohol to relax after work or to hang out with friends or needing to use marijuana to manage anxiety or insomnia.
[6:58]Sign five, withdrawal symptoms. If you start to feel physically ill when you don't take a certain drug or substance, then your body has started to develop a dependence on it. You may find yourself doing more and more drugs in order to avoid feeling sick, which can cause the cycle to get worse. Withdrawal symptoms from alcohol use include hangovers, shaking and trembling, sweating, headaches, confusion, anxiety attacks, fatigue, seizures, and delirium. Withdrawal effects can also be deadly and can cause fatalities. Remember, withdrawal effects can be both physical and psychological. Drug abuse doesn't have an easy solution, but understanding its causes and signs and symptoms is a step towards reclaiming control. If you want to learn more about substance use or mental health treatment options, then go to sandstonecare.com or click the link in the description box below. We'll get to know you and your specific situation and connect you with the support you need, even if it's not with us. Change is possible and Sandstone Care is here to help.
