Alcohol and Drug Abuse Questions and Answers

Substance abuse can also be known as drug or alcohol abuse, it occurs when you use alcohol, prescription medicine, and other legal and illegal substances too often or in the wrong way.

While substance abuse differs from addiction, many who are substance abuse users have problems and are unable to quit or change their unhealthy behavior. Addiction however is a disease, meaning you cannot stop using even when your condition causes you harm.

Alcohol can affect everyone differently. Heavy drinkers can cause severe liver and other health problems or they can lead to more serious alcohol disorders. Legal or Illegal drugs whether they are prescription or not, can also cause serious damage to your organs and body if abused.

Substance abuse like alcohol or drug abuse can affect your judgment, vision, and coordination. Part of the brain is responsible for these critical functions which are among the first negatively impacted by the use of alcohol and other drug use. Due to this, people who use substances are more likely to get hurt than others who do not. With this, if you are injured while under the influence, it could affect you for the rest of your life.

The use of alcohol and drugs helps to increase the risk of injury by:

– Making it harder to diagnose the injury
– Repeated injuries can be a sign of problematic substance use
– Violent injury can occur with substance use
– Accidently injury or even death can occur
– Brain injury

Individuals who use alcohol or drugs for whatever reason may have long-term negative health effects. The many possible long-term effects can include the following:

– Needing to drink or take more to get the same effect felt from the first use
– High blood pressure and possible stroke
– Problems with your liver and pancreas down the road
– Development of cancers like liver cancer, bowel cancer, and mouth cancer
– Difficulty obtaining or even maintaining an erection
– Problems with orgasms
– Difficulty becoming pregnant or getting your significant other pregnant
– Feeling like you have to use drugs or alcohol
– Withdrawal symptoms may include feeling sick, cold, sweaty or shaky when not using
– Sudden mood changes
– Negative outlook on life
– Loss of any motivation
– Depression
– Anxiety
– Problems with your relationships (family, friends, loved ones, etc.)
– Secretive
– Episodes of drug or alcohol-induced psychosis

If using alcohol or drugs over a significant amount of time can lead to more serious issues for your mental health and well-being. Drugs can make you unwell, and likely cause harm or make you want to take your own life.

Alcohol or drug-related problems that can result from drinking or taking too much, too fast, or even too often are among the most significant health issues seen in the United States.

Many struggles with controlling their substance use at some point in their lives.

The good news is no matter how severe the problem may be, most people with an alcohol or drug use disorder can benefit from some form of treatment.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution for anyone, as each person has the stuff to overcome and deal with that others may not have experienced. Simply understanding the different options available to you can be the important first step you need.

Types of treatment available:

– Behavioral Treatment

Behavioral treatment is aimed to help to change drinking or drug use behavior through counseling. This is led by our health professionals at Best Fit Counseling & Psychiatry. This beneficial treatment offers multiple features like:

– Developing skills, you need to stop or reduce the use of drinking or using
– Help to build a strong social support system for you
– Work to set attainable goals
– Coping or avoiding any triggers that may cause a relapse

– Medications
– Mutual-Support Groups

At Best Fit Counseling & Psychiatry, our online psychiatry and counseling services are available when you need them. We offer affordable and accessible effective specialists to help support you along your journey to becoming independent from substance use. Our counseling practice offers an experience that enables us to offer effective outpatient individual psychological care to anyone seeking it. We have the ability to treat a number of mental health disorders and provide a neutral ground for individuals, families, and couples. Our treatment focus is to help you heal, energize and become aware of your inner strength. We are able to achieve this by providing a neutral safe space for you and listen to your concerns with a customizable treatment plan to help you reach your goals.

Best Fit Counseling & Psychiatry is home to a leading team of professionals who want to help everyone on their road to recovery. Call us for more information. We serve patients anywhere in Michigan and our corporate offices are in Ann Arbor MI and surrounding areas including Pittsfield Charter TWP MI, Ypsilanti MI, Saline MI, Dexter MI and Scio TWP MI.