Additions are serious business and are not uncommon in America. Over 23 million Americans suffer from substance abuse according to Substance Abuse: The Nation’s Number One Health Problem, Brandeis University, Schneider Institute for Health Policy. There are also more deaths and disabilities each year in the United States due to substance abuse than from any other cause of death. Sometimes an addiction can be as minor as a caffeine addiction, where it doesn’t truly affect your quality of life or something as serious as a methadone addiction, where your quality of life may be severely impacted. With the New Year approaching, it may be the perfect time to kick your addiction for good and start fresh in life. There few ways to know it’s time to find help recover from a drug addiction, depending on the seriousness and severity of it.
It can sometimes be difficult to recognize that you have an addiction, however, with the help of loved ones, doctors, and facilities available to you, you can accept the fact you are a drug user and find the help you need to become a happier, healthier you.
Below are a few questions to ask yourself:
Are you taking higher doses of the drug over time to continue to get high?
Do you find yourself craving the drug when you’re not using?
Has your personal life with family and friends been affected by it?
Do you find yourself skipping bills or even meals to afford the drug?
Have you missed work or school to get high and has your overall performance decreased?
If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, it may be time to get help to kick your drug addiction to become happier and healthier. The New Year is a great opportunity where you can set goals for yourself, with the help of a counselor, doctor, or treatment center. Whether it’s a heroin, morphine, or methadone addiction, it’s important to treat it as soon as possible to decrease any effects it could have your mental and physical health later on. The earlier an addiction is treated, the better the outcome and the higher the likeliness of a full recovery. It’s important to remember that anyone can obtain sobriety and stay sober with the right mindset and tools, which is why there are so many doctors and facilities dedicated to helping you lead a happy, healthy, and drug-free life. If you notice that you have clear signs of addiction and are ready for a change in life, kick the addiction for good and start fresh this New Year.