Drug abuse recovery is a long road. It’s pretty common for people to start using drugs when dealing with complex emotions like stress or fear. However, there are times when it grows into addiction and leads to mental health and physical problems. At this stage, people need to realize that they need to sign up for drug abuse recovery.
There are different positive ways you can deal with stressors and tricky emotions. However, if you’re self-medicating and unaware, there are signs you need to take note of. In this article, we’ll walk you through symptoms of self-medication and the dangers that accompany self-medicating to deal with stress.
What Is Self-Medicating, and Why Is It Bad?
If you don’t understand the term, you might get confused about what self-medicating means. Self-medication is the process of using drugs or alcohol to manage the symptoms of various mental health issues like depression or anxiety. For example, most people use medication to deal with stress. Maybe you have a stressful job and use drugs or alcohol every time you get home to relax. There are different ways self-medicating behavior plays out.
There are also situations where you’re dealing with intense feelings of anxiety and depression. So you get drunk every evening to lift your mood and make yourself feel better. Alternatively, you could also be using stimulant drugs to improve your concentration and ensure you concentrate at work.
Self-medication is never a great idea when dealing with emotions or any problem. The reason is that it only provides short-term relief that will fade away over time. Sometimes, self-medication causes you to develop more mental health issues and keep you from getting the help you need. In the end, it creates problems for you that only drug abuse recovery can fix.
Signs That You’re Self-Medicating
You don’t always know when you’re self-medicating to deal with stress. However, if you feel this is the exact case for you, these common signs are signals you should note.
You Always Turn to Alcohol or Drugs When Stressed
Some people self-medicate every time they deal with relationship issues or face tricky life transitions. You know you need alcohol or drug abuse recovery when you utilize alcohol and drugs daily for distressing. You could also be using them for other negative emotions.
You’re Anxious if You Can’t Reach Your Drug of Choice
Do you feel discomfort if your drug of choice is out of reach? Then, that’s a sign you’re self-medicating and suffering from addiction. Maybe you always have to wait till you get your paycheck to stock up on liquor. Perhaps you’re jittery because you’re running out of prescriptions and have no idea how to get more. If you start freaking out at any of these scenarios, then you’re self-medicating.
You Always Need More Drugs to Feel Relief
The more drugs and alcohol you take, the higher your tolerance level. An example is if you only required one strong drink previously to take the edge off but now require two or more. This is a clear sign that you have a higher tolerance level for alcohol. Due to this, the side effects of your drinking will increase and only contribute to your stress. You need to sign up for alcohol or drug abuse recovery in such cases.
Friends and Family Are Expressing Concerns for You
Sometimes, it’s hard to recognize when you’ve taken things too far or gain clear perspectives about yourself. If friends and family approach you to inform you that they’re worried about your behavior, then there’s something to worry about. On the other hand, if someone close to you shares their concern and feels you need help, it might be time to take action. Most times, the best move is signing up for drug abuse recovery.
The Drugs Makes You Feel Worse
Maybe it worked for the first few hours and left you feeling relaxed. However, after the effect wears off, you feel worse than initially. If the hole is getting harder and harder to dig yourself out of, then you’re self-medicating and should register for drug abuse recovery while finding real and more lasting relief.
Get Help From Carolina Recovery in Fayetteville
The short list above is in no way a complete list of all the signs that you’re self-medicating to deal with stress. However, it is an excellent point to begin, and if you can relate to any of them, it’s a sign that you need help. Our Fayetteville Carolina Recovery center will help you with your drug abuse recovery.
Our recovery processes are holistic and individualized. We offer different programs that allow you to enjoy a flexible schedule while still receiving the treatment you need. Contact our recovery center today to find out how we can help you.
