Substance Use Disorder
What is a substance use disorder?
Different substances affect the brain in different ways. This substance use disorder causes problems at work, school, health problems, or legal and family problems. The use of alcohol, drugs or others does not necessarily mean that the person suffers from a substance abuse disorder. Substance use tends to appear in adolescence or early adulthood and the average age is at the beginning of age 20. 75% of people develop substance use disorder before age 27. This is more common in men than in women. Substance use disorders often occur in combination with mood, anxiety and psychotic disorders. People with mood or anxiety disorders are two or three times more likely to have substance use disorders.
Symptoms:
Substance dependence and abuse are not the same, as substance abuse including alcohol can go unnoticed but warrants treatment.
- Dependence: The body asks for the substance
- Tolerance: the person requires increased doses over time and get less effect on repetitive use..
- Withdrawal problems: The person has difficulty abstaining from the substance.
- Use of higher doses for longer times
- Problems with stopping or controlling use
- The person stops attending or reduces assistance to important social, occupational activities due to substance use.
What can I do to avoid substance use?
- Avoid participating in activities where you have access to beverages, drugs or other substances.
- Spend time on activities that are not involved in substances
- Avoid friendships that involve you in substance use
- Identify situations where access to the substance is likely and avoid them if possible
- Seek professional help, assist support groups that motivate you to avoid consumption
- Seek professional help, assist support groups that motivate you to avoid consumption
Useful Resources: ASSMCA (787-763-7575), Línea PAZ 1-800-981-0023, 1-888-672-7622, www.Proyectovision.net. Tel. 1-800-662-9832, Libro: The Healing Project (2008) Voices of Alcoholism.
