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Substance
Substance Use Disorder is another term for drug and alcohol addiction. It can be safely treated through services offered at MD Home Detox in Los Angeles, California.
What is Substance Use Disorder?
When a person develops an addiction to drugs or alcohol, it is called a substance use disorder. An addiction can start when someone believes they will just experiment with using one or more substances or only use them socially, but it can quickly turn into a substance use disorder. A substance use disorder is a disease that affects a person’s thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. Ultimately, it can have a negative impact on physical health, with some results being irreversible.
A person with a substance use disorder falls victim to the urge to keep using drugs or alcohol, resulting in a host of problems in their lives. These include damaging relationships with loved ones, losing interest in hobbies and healthy pastimes, and a failure to be able to meet the requirements of their careers, schooling, and home life. Once addiction has taken over a person’s life, professional treatment becomes necessary in order to become sober and live a life in recovery.
Signs and Symptoms of Substance Use Disorders
Many signs and symptoms of having a substance use disorder can occur when someone is struggling with one. Common ones include:
• Using the substance consistently over long periods of time
• Increasing the amount consumed in order to achieve the same desired effect
• Neglecting responsibilities such as job and school
• Personal relationships that become damaged due to substance consumption
• Spending large amounts of money on substances
• Unexplained disappearance of money or stealing
• Continuing to use the substance despite negative impacts on mental and physical health
• Taking prescribed medications the person does not have a prescription for
• Lack of interest in regular hygiene
• Moodiness, including depression, anxiety, and hostile attitudes or acts
• Insisting everything is under control despite those around the person are saying they have an addiction problem
• Attempting to stop using the substance and being unable to do so
• Withdrawal symptoms when not regularly consuming the substance
Alarming Substance Use Disorder Statistics
According to a 2018 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 11.7% of people ages 12 and over used illicit drugs in the previous month. Within the same age group, 2% reported nonmedical use of psychotherapeutic drugs. The U.S. surgeon general stated that almost 21 million Americans have a substance use disorder but only about 10% seek treatment for it. Sadly, one in seven people ends up developing a substance use disorder at some point in their lives. The number of people addicted to drugs or alcohol exceeds the number of people who have been diagnosed with cancer.
Treatment for Substance Use Disorders
Treatment for substance use disorders can involve many types of programs. The first step is the detoxification process, often referred to as “detox”. This important initial step involves a person spending from a few days to a couple of weeks getting rid of the toxins built up in their bodies after long-term addiction. The detox process must take place first before the rest of the recovery process can begin. Most clinical professionals agree that detox should take place under medical supervision. The detoxification process places a person at risk of potentially damaging withdrawal symptoms that may need monitoring and treatment. A detox program, including ones that take place in the home, can provide medical assistance and psychological support to help ease these symptoms, making the person more likely to complete the detox process.
Many people follow up detox with a residential program that involves living in a home-like environment set up to treat substance use disorders. This can include residential facilities and sober living houses. Another source of treatment involves outpatient help, which can range from a few hours to several days a week. Typical options involved in outpatient treatment include individual therapy, group therapy, holistic treatment, and learning to stay successful in recovery after treatment ends. Even after formal treatment is completed, many people enjoy activities like attending peer support groups, utilizing options for online resources of support, and using recovery-related apps on their smartphones.
Many treatment programs that address substance use disorders also offer help managing a variety of mental illnesses. About half of people who deal with an addiction to drugs or alcohol also have at least one co-occurring mental health condition. When both conditions are treated at the same time, it allows a person to save time and move forward in recovery more quickly. As cravings for drugs and alcohol begin to subside, a person often finds their mental illness symptoms also begin to lessen. Similarly, as a person learns to manage their mental health better, often the desire to use substances to soothe or cover up the difficult symptoms of mental illness becomes less tempting.
Substance Use Disorder Treatment in Los Angeles
If you or someone you love needs treatment for a substance use disorder and wants to explore your option to receive it privately in your own home, we can help. MD Home Detox offers individualized concierge detox treatment with a trained clinical team in your home, allowing you confidentiality and the ability to remain in the comfort of familiar surroundings.
If you would like more information about receiving treatment in Los Angeles, please contact us to find out more.
