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Substance
Substance abuse is a problem that can creep up on an individual over time or develop quickly, even after a single use of some drugs. Abuse can lead to addiction, which occurs when the use can no longer control his use of the substance, even if use of the substance damages his health or leads to severe personal, professional, or legal problems. Addiction is a chronic brain disorder that is treatable, but it usually must be addressed from both a medical and a counseling standpoint in order for treatment to be successful.
Common Substances of Addiction
here are many drugs that can lead to addiction, including:
- Marijuana and synthetic marijuana
- Street stimulants such as cocaine or heroin
- Opioids, including prescription painkillers and heroin
- Hallucinogens like LSD, ketamine, and PCP
- Synthetic cathinones, known as bath salts
- Prescription stimulants like Adderall or Ritalin
- Inhalants, including hairsprays, spray paints, and cleaning products
Recognizing Substance Addiction
There are a number of symptoms of substance abuse and addiction:
- Needing more of the substance to get the same effect (tolerance)
- Using more of the substance than you planned
- Inability to stop using, even if substance is causing significant problems in your life
- Spending more time getting, using, and recovering from the effects of the substance
- Withdrawal from activities and people you once enjoyed
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms if the substance is stopped
Role of Nutrition in Substance Abuse Treatment
Treating substance abuse and addiction is a multi-faceted process. One component that can increase the odds of success in treatment is nutrition counseling. Nutrition plays a pivotal role in everyone’s body. When a person has been subject to substance abuse, their bodies become extremely deficient in the necessary nutrients needed for optimal performance.
Nutritional therapy has many uses in a substance abuse treatment program. When chemicals and contaminants enter our system, our body does not recognize or identify them and labels the unwelcome newcomer as “foreign”. Since our bodies have no pre-programmed response to these “foreign” substances, they store and imbed these chemicals into our system making them difficult to remove. Optimal nutritional therapy can aid in the body’s ability to release, excrete, and detoxify unwanted chemicals from our body. In this way, nutrition can play a major role in alleviation of withdrawal symptoms while restoring the body’s vitamins, minerals, and electrolytes.
During recovery, balanced nutrition is extremely important to decrease the chance of relapse. Supplying adequate nutrients to the body will improve mood, reduce withdrawal symptoms, and improve overall health. Through simplistic, realistic lifestyle changes, tailored to the individual’s needs, that individual stands the best chance of persevering through the recovery process and achieving long-term sobriety and better health overall.
Using UNCOPE
The UNCOPE is a screening tool provided by kp counseling to help assess your concerns about adult substance abuse. This self-evaluation does not replace a formal evaluation by an addictions or mental health professional, but it can be a starting point for someone concerned about their substance use or the use of a loved one. If the screening leads to concerns about the possibility of substance abuse, we recommend you contact kp counseling directly to make an appointment with one of our substance abuse counselors.
Substance Addiction Treatment
Substance addiction is a disorder that requires long-term treatment and support to ensure the person stops using the drug and maintains sobriety over a lifetime. At kp counseling, we understand the challenges and complexities of addiction treatment, and we are equipped to help those struggling with addiction overcome their disorder. To get help for an addiction, contact kp counseling today at 779-368-0060.