Drug Addiction

Drug addiction or substance use disorder is an illness that affects a person’s behavior making them unable to control their consumption of medical substances or illegal drugs. A person who is addicted can’t stop using these substances even if it is causing them harm.

It’s impossible to completely prevent drug addiction, but it can be minimized through education. Studies show that teens who are informed of the risks and the negative effects of drug addiction are less likely to become drug addicts later in life. Being aware of certain warning signs can also help prevent or stop drug addiction before it gets out of control.

Some of these warning signs are a sudden change of friends who appear to be a bad influence, noticeable loss in weight for no apparent reason, a drop in performance at school or work, behaving out of character and displaying secretive, irresponsible and reckless behavior. These are just some of the typical warning signs to look out for in someone suspected of being addicted to drugs. If you suspect someone of being a drug addict, it’s best to treat the situation with understanding and not brand them as criminals. Addiction, like many diseases can be treated with proper care.  

The effects of drug addiction vary depending on the substance being abused, however they all have a negative impact on your physical and mental health. Drug addiction can lead to permanent impairment, illness, or even death. Health risks of commonly used drugs include the following: 

Ecstasy – Risk of liver and heart failure.

Opioids – Risk of respiratory distress or death from overdose.

Methamphetamine – Risk of psychotic behavior.

Cocaine – Risk of heart attack, stroke, seizures. 

Alcohol – Risk of liver damage and internal bleeding.

The consequences of drug abuse are twofold. First, they affect you in a physical way by damaging your body over time. The longer a person is addicted to a drug, the more the body develops a dependence to it often causing permanent damage and making it harder to treat the addiction. Secondly, drug abuse can destroy your life by making bad judgements and behaving in an irresponsible and reckless manner. Drug addiction puts a strain on your relationships with loved ones, as well as your finances. A person who is addicted to drugs will pay any price just to get their fix, often leading them to spend beyond their means or engage in criminal activity.   

Milestone offers professional addiction treatment provided by a diverse mix of experienced and certified addiction professionals. Clinical care is provided by our psychologists, psychometricians, and nurses working collaboratively with our consultant psychiatrists. Our recovery-support activities and interventions are headed by international certified recovery coaches.

So if you are worried about your own or your loved ones addiction, contact us now for a free consultation. We meet you where you are in your recovery and treatment is customized according to you and your loved ones needs and goals.