Substance use disorder (SUD) refers to a condition in which individuals use or consume drugs or other substances despite known harmful consequences. People who suffer from SUD tend to hyper-focus on using or finding their drug of choice, which is typically alcohol, tobacco or an illicit drug. The intense focus and frequent use often interfere with one’s day-to-day functioning. Despite impairment and the known consequences, suffers of SUD continue to use harmful substances with increasing frequency.
SUD — also known as drug addiction — affects approximately 15% of South Africa’s population. This percentage, according to a representative from the country’s government drug control organization, is twice that of the world norm for countries of similar size. Just as alarming is the fact that the percentage only accounts for known cases of SUD. The representative suspects that, following more research, the figure will only rise.
Substance abuse disorder is a very serious condition that, in addition to harming one’s health, can alter one’s behaviour, attitude and priorities. It can affect everything from one’s personal relationships to professional aspirations to overall quality of life. If you suspect that a friend of loved one is on a slippery slope to addiction and its more devastating consequences, you may wonder what signs, if any, you can look for. What does addiction look like, and how can you spot it before it is too late?
The warning signs of SUD fall into three distinct categories: physical, behavioural and psychological. Though the symptoms are largely dependent on a person’s unique biological and physiological makeup and the drug in question, some are more common than others.
Substance use disorder often manifests in outward signs that friends or loved ones often notice before the affected person realizes he or she has a problem. Those signs may include the following:
In addition to physical signs of substance abuse, you may notice behavioural changes in your friend or loved one as well. Behavioural symptoms of SUD may include the following:
Finally, substance abuse disorder takes a toll on one’s psychological well-being. Some outward symptoms you may notice as a person close to an addicted individual are as follows:
Many people who are in the midst of or are developing a substance use disorder do not realize what is happening to them. Many do but are in denial. Worrying about how much you drink or use a certain drug is, in and of itself, a sign that you do have SUD. However, if you need more indictors, consider the following:
If you can relate to any of these statements, chances are that your substance use is out of control and that it is time to seek help.
At the surface level, substance use disorder occurs simply because abused substances have a “feel good” effect on the brain and body, albeit temporarily. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, most people begin to use drugs for one or more of the following reasons:
Trying a drug one time, or occasional use of a drug, does not mean a person has a disorder. The disorder develops when an individual uses a drug more and more frequently, thereby triggering an actual change in the brain’s structure and function. Brain imaging studies show that frequent use of abused substances, such as drugs and alcohol, causes changes to the areas of the brain that affect learning, memory, decision making and behavioural control. These changes are what contribute to the intense cravings, personality changes, behavioural changes and abnormal movements that are indicative of SUD. Depending on the level of abuse, these changes can be temporary, or they can be long-lasting.
The risk of addiction varies from person to person and is often dependent on the drug in question. For instance, some drugs, such as opioids, have highly addictive properties, with many people becoming addicted within just a few weeks. Alcohol use disorder, however, often develops in stages, with many people taking months or even years to move through the four main stages.
That said, as people become addicted, they often build up a tolerance to the substance in question. What this means is that they eventually require more of the substance to experience the same euphoric effects, thereby exacerbating the brain-changing and other health-related consequences.
If you notice that a friend or loved one is struggling with SUD, you will want to tread carefully in how you approach him or her. If your loved one believes that he or she does not have a problem, he or she may become offended and defensive, and possibly isolate him or herself from you. Even if your loved one recognizes that he or she has a problem, he or she will likely deny it and, again, become defensive. In fact, individuals who recognize they have a problem but fail to act on their own are the most difficult to get through to, as their recognition but lack of action indicates they do not want to quit.
That said, though intervening with a loved one’s addiction may prove difficult, there are ways to go about an intervention that may prove effective. Below are tips for what and what not to do when attempting to help a loved one overcome addiction.
Recognizing signs of substance abuse is the first step toward helping yourself or a loved one get the help you, he or she needs to get better. The next best thing you can do is educate yourself as to why addiction happens and what you can do to help yourself or a loved one overcome it.