What To Know About Drug Use Disorder And Addiction

No one ever expects to develop a drug use disorder, but this challenging disease affects millions of Americans each year. Drug use disorders alter your mind and body and can devastate your life. Thankfully, there is support for individuals struggling with drug use. Professional drug addiction treatment is accessible in the Long Island area and can empower you to regain control of your life. Keep reading to discover more about drug use disorders and addiction and how individuals and their family members can overcome these conditions with expert support.

What Is A Drug Use Disorder?

Many people take illicit drugs for recreational purposes or powerful prescription drugs to address health conditions. But at what point does drug use transform into a life-changing disorder?

Typically, drug use becomes a disorder when someone exhibits concerning patterns of drug use and loses control of their use. Drug use disorders are mental health disorders that range from mild to severe. These health issues disrupt your life and have a detrimental effect on your physical state.

There are different facets of drug use disorders:

• Dependence occurs when your body becomes so accustomed to a drug that it struggles to perform without it. You will experience unpleasant withdrawal symptoms if you quit using the drug.


• Addiction is a mental dependence. Dependency-causing drugs modify your neural chemistry so that you continuously crave those substances and feel driven to consume them in growing amounts. You are no longer in command of your mental state and actions. Addiction is the most severe element of substance use disorders.

All phases of drug use disorder are damaging to your body, mind, relationships, and wellbeing. If you are concerned that you or a person you care about has a drug use disorder, get skilled support for recovery. All people have a right to help.

What Drugs Are Addictive?

Dependency-causing drugs contain strong chemicals that modify your brain. Many are threatening enough to be illegal. Others are authorized medicines but can turn dangerous when used improperly or overused. Below are several of the most common addictive drugs in the United States:

• Narcotics dull the senses, which causes them to be effective pain relievers. However, people also consume them to dull other unwanted feelings and can become dependent rapidly. Narcotics can be grouped as opiates or opioids. Opiates are plant-sourced substances. Opioids are synthetic. Heroin is a common illegal narcotic. Legal narcotics like Percocet, OxyContin, Vicodin, morphine, and fentanyl have pharmaceutical uses but are dependency-causing and frequently used improperly.


• Benzodiazepines are mood-altering drugs often given for psychological disorders. Even so, they can cause addiction when not managed appropriately. Their calming qualities produce a feeling of being relaxed. Xanax and Valium are familiar benzos.


• Stimulants encompass medications like Ritalin and Adderall, as well as prohibited drugs like meth and cocaine. They energize your central nervous system, leaving you feeling alert, animated, and euphoric. Taking too much of stimulants can be fatal.

All of these types of drugs can develop into a drug use disorder. They all have the capacity to disrupt your life and cause life-threatening medical conditions. Seek support for yourself or a person you care about at the earliest signal of substance dependency.

How Does Drug Addiction Start?

There are many reasons why individuals start using dependency-causing drugs. Many do so for pleasure because they enjoy the sensations those chemicals generate. Different individuals get addicted to prescription drugs they're taking for medical treatment. Another group of people initiate the use of drugs to self-medicate untreated mental illnesses and find brief comfort.

Whatever the motivation for first using these substances, the route to addiction is generally the same. Your body develops a dependency to the drug, and you get sick when you don't take it. You take more just to function. You may gradually take greater amounts for the drug to work. You appreciate how its influence feels. You feel desperate without it and continue using it. Ultimately, those chemicals overtake the pleasure circuits of your brain, and you cannot experience pleasure unless that drug is present.

If you're addicted, getting a reliable supply of the drug is all that matters. Numerous people experience illness, destroy relationships, give up jobs, and take great risks becasue of drug addiction. Your addiction overpowers you and everything in your life, and you are helpless to recover without specialized support.

What Are Some Signs Of Drug Addiction?

It might seem a drug use disorder would be obvious. However, these disorders can manifest differently among individuals, and loved ones will often try to hide their drug use from you. If you aren't sure if you or a friend have a drug use disorder, consider the following indicators:

• Feeling an overwhelming urge to consume the drug


• Failed tries to slow down on or cease using the drug


• Allocating much time and energy getting the drug, ingesting it, or recovering from its effects


• Consuming a prescription for longer durations or in greater amounts than ordered


• Having difficulty meeting commitments due to drug use


• Letting go of once-liked activities to take drugs


• Continuing to use the drug even when it damages relationships


• Continued use of the drug even when it negatively impacts your physical and mental health


• Requiring more of the drug to feel its effects


• Experiencing withdrawal when attempting to halt use


• Engaging in risky behavior to acquire or ingest the drug

Drug use disorders can look different between people. If you or someone close to you are displaying any indications of drug addiction near Long Island, consult with a local doctor or addiction treatment professional.

Where To Obtain Drug Addiction Treatment In Long Island

Drug use disorder treatment is a multi-tier process. Many people will endure relapses and need to revisit steps more than once. While there isn’t a “cure” for drug use disorder, numerous patients find recovery and apply what they explore during treatment to live a fulfilling, substance-free life. The key is finding specialized, reseach-supported treatment that fits your needs.

No two addiction recovery journeys are the same. However, treatment typically includes the following steps at licensed treatment facilities:

• Drug detox is the way to let your body cleanse itself of drugs. Your system will do this naturally as long as you refrain from taking more drugs. However, if you have a drug dependence, your body will encounter withdrawal without using. To complete detox in a safe manner, you should check into an inpatient detox center that offers 24/7 medical support and takes steps to keep you comfortable.


• Drug rehab programs also give you inpatient care. Throughout rehab, you’ll keep living at a treatment facility and have access to clinical support for any ongoing withdrawal symptoms. Each day, you participate in different kinds of therapy with the goal of comprehending your addiction, cultivating new positive habits, and treating any co-occurring mental disorders. You should continue in rehab until you become physically and mentally stable enough to depart that sober environment.


• After you leave rehab, you should still get intensive addiction care. Outpatient addiction and mental health care will help you navigate your life without addictive drugs. These programs offer ongoing therapy and medication management. To start, you might participate in outpatient treatment daily and head home in the evenings. Eventually, you’ll require less therapy and may only go to therapy once a week or less.

Everyone has a right to skilled, compassionate addiction treatment. No matter how serious your addiction may be, recovery is possible. Pursuing appropriate support at an accredited treatment center is critical for your future. You never have to fight addiction on your own. There are multiple options for drug addiction treatment near Long Island.

How Can Families Support A Loved One Grappling With Drug Addiction Near Long Island?

People with a drug use disorder need all the help they can get. Family and friends can play crucial roles in addiction recovery. If you are close to a person with a drug use disorder, here are many ways you may help them:

• Help them check into a treatment facility


• Help them make payments for treatment


• Participate in family counseling with them


• Participate in aftercare planning


• Provide a safe, drug-free environment to live


• Avoid passing judgment


• Set boundaries around their substance use


• Help them get to outpatient treatment appointments

Get Help For Drug Use Disorders Near Long Island Today

No individual should confront drug use disorders alone. If you or a loved one are battling with drug addiction, recovery is possible. Turn to Sunrise Detox Long Island at 631-857-3800 or submit the contact form on this page. A member of our team will respond right away to explore treatment. Every call is free and confidential. We respond at all hours, all year round. Find help now. We are standing by for you.