Substance Use Disorder

Understanding Substance Use Disorder

In this ever-changing world, there is increasing use of drugs and drinking causing serious risk and devastating consequences. This is referred to as Substance use disorder that affects an estimated 25 million Americans.

Substance use disorder (SUD) can cause physical and psychological damage. It is important to break this addiction cycle by proper treatment. SUD is complex a condition involving uncontrolled use of a substance despite harmful consequences. If you suffer from SUD you have an intense focus on using a substance(s) such as alcohol, tobacco, or illicit drugs. They use it to the point where it impacts your ability to function in daily life. You will keep using the substance even when you know it is causing addiction in severe cases.

Substance use disorder impacts various social and biological factors leading to health problems, such as:

• Drunk and impaired driving

• Violence

• Familial stress

• Potential for child abuse and neglect

There is a high risk of contracting or transmitting infectious diseases like HIV or hepatitis B if you share or reuse needles for using substances.

Behavioral Illustration of Substance Use Disorder

The substances that people usually get addicted to cause negative effects to include:

• Alcohol

• Antianxiety and sedative drugs

• Caffeine

• Cannabis (including marijuana and synthetic cannabinoids)

• Hallucinogens (including LSD, phencyclidine, and psilocybin)

• Inhalants (such as paint thinner and certain glues)

• Opioids (including fentanyl, morphine, and oxycodone)

• Stimulants (including amphetamines and cocaine)

• Tobacco

• Other (including anabolic steroids and other commonly abused substances)

Substance use disorders usually comprise behavior patterns. In this, the people continue to use a substance despite having problems caused by its use.

All the above substances usually directly activate the brain's reward system and produce feelings of pleasure. This activation of pleasure feeling may be so strong that people intensely crave the substance. They may even neglect normal activities to obtain and use the substance.

Substance use disorders can display various symptoms or behaviors include:

• Feeling to use the substances regularly approximately daily or even several times a day.

• Intense urges for the substances that block out other views.

• Requiring more of the substance to get the same effect.

• Taking a large amount of substance over a longer period.

• Maintaining a supply of the substance at all times cause,

• Spending money on the substance, even though you can't afford it.

• Cutting back on social or recreational activities due to substance use.

• Continuing to use the drug, even though you know it's causing problems in your life or causing you physical or psychological harm

• Indulging in activities to get the drug that you normally wouldn't do, such as stealing.

• Driving or doing other risky activities when you're under the influence of the drug.

• Spending more time getting the drug, using the drug, or recovering from the effects of the drug.

• Failing in your attempts to stop using the substance.

• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms as you attempt to stop taking the addictive substance.

Stages of the Substance Use Disorder

The healthcare provider categorizes the substance use disorder into the following stages: