Is It Addiction or Mental Illness? How to Tell the Difference

The most common hallucinogens are lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) and phencyclidine (PCP). Two groups of synthetic drugs — synthetic cannabinoids and substituted or synthetic cathinones — are illegal in most states. The effects of these drugs can be dangerous and unpredictable, as there is no quality control and some ingredients may not be known. Overcoming an SUD is not as simple as resisting the temptation to take drugs.

1. Cannabis often precedes or is used along with other substances, such as alcohol or illegal drugs, and is often the first drug tried.
2. If you are concerned about your own substance use or the substance use of a loved one, it’s good practice to see a healthcare provider for a substance use disorder evaluation and screening.
3. Several different medications are given while a person is going through detox; these drugs help safely manage a person’s withdrawal symptoms.
4. Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes more frequent.
5. About 70% percent of people who began using at age 13 have an SUD compared to 27% who started at age 17.

Changes in the brain

These changes can remain long after you stop using the drug. During the intervention, these people gather together to have a direct, heart-to-heart conversation with the person about the consequences of addiction. Despite the name, these are not bath products such as Epsom salts. Substituted cathinones can be eaten, snorted, inhaled or injected and are highly addictive. These drugs can cause severe intoxication, which results in dangerous health effects or even death.

Use these free digital, outreach materials in your community and on social media to spread the word about mental health. Use these free education and outreach materials in your community and on social media to spread the word about mental health and related topics. By Sherry ChristiansenChristiansen is a medical writer with a healthcare background.

Tobacco, heroin, cocaine, alcohol, cannabis and benzodiazepines are all substances that you can develop tolerance and dependence to. The latest information and resources on mental disorders shared on X, Facebook, YouTube, LinkedIn, and Instagram. NIMH offers expert-reviewed information on mental disorders and a range of topics. The accuracy of these tests can vary based on the type of substance you’re being tested for and how recently you used the substance. Blood tests are more effective, but urine tests are more common due to cost effectiveness and typically faster results.

Club drugs

The number of criteria a person meets determines the severity of the SUD. This short addiction recovery quotes article looks at what SUD involves and its symptoms and treatment options. The complications of substance use disorder are broad and may depend on the type of substance use. Over time, the substances change your brain chemistry, and you become desensitized to their effects. Tobacco use disorder is the most common substance use disorder worldwide and in the United States. Information about NIMH, research results, summaries of scientific meetings, and mental health resources.

The underlying principle of these programs is that people with SUD must understand that they have a chronic condition that will never go away. Group therapy supports people with SUD in maintaining self-control and restraint. Seeking medical care as soon as you have signs of substance use disorder is essential.

The best way to prevent an addiction to a drug is not to take the drug at all. If your health care provider prescribes a drug with the potential for addiction, use care when taking the drug and follow instructions. Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins when they take prescribed medicines or receive them from others who have prescriptions. SUDs can lead to significant problems in all aspects of a person’s life.

Treatment of Substance Use Disorders

Alcohol levels can also be assessed using a breathalyzer, which you blow into. People struggling with addiction usually deny they have a problem and hesitate to seek treatment. An intervention presents a loved one with a structured opportunity to make changes before things get even worse and can motivate someone to seek or accept help. Use of hallucinogens can produce different signs and symptoms, depending on the drug.

Therefore, early exposure to substances may change the brain in ways that increase the risk for psychological disorders. Early symptoms of a mental disorder may point to an increased risk for drug use later. When someone has a SUD and another mental health disorder, it is usually better to treat them at the same time rather than separately. People who need help for a SUD and other mental disorders should see a health care provider for each disorder. Management of substance use disorders can be challenging mentally and physically. In some cases, continued substance use may lead to a fatal overdose.

Club drugs are commonly used at clubs, concerts and parties. Examples include methylenedioxymethamphetamine, also called MDMA, ecstasy or molly, and gamma-hydroxybutyric acid, known as alcohol and mirtazapine GHB. Other examples include ketamine and flunitrazepam or Rohypnol — a brand used outside the U.S. — also called roofie. These drugs are not all in the same category, but they share some similar effects and dangers, including long-term harmful effects.

Substance use disorder affects people of all ages, races, genders and socioeconomic levels. While these substances are very different from each other, they all strongly activate the reward center of your brain and produce feelings of pleasure. Learn more about NIMH newsletters, public participation in grant reviews, research funding, clinical trials, the NIMH Gift Fund, and connecting with NIMH on social media. If you or someone you know has a mental illness, there are ways to get help.

If someone has symptoms of an SUD, they can talk with their healthcare professional. People can speak with a primary care doctor if they experience SUD symptoms or if they are concerned about a loved one who may have an SUD. Different tools work for different people, but ongoing therapy and self-help groups such as Narcotics Anonymous help many.

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For certain drug types, some symptoms are less prominent, and in some cases, not all symptoms apply. For example, withdrawal symptoms are not specified for inhalant use. Inhalants include volatile substances that produce chemicals, which a person can inhale to produce mind-alerting effects. Some people with SUD engage in secretive behavior to hide their drug use.

There are specific ages that make a person more likely to develop a substance use problem. Adolescence is a particularly risky time due to the developing, not-yet-mature brain. Thus, drug use causes changes in the brain that can result in a lack of self-control and poor decision-making and judgment.

In the United States, 1 in 7 people aged 12 years and older report having an SUD. The condition can affect any person regardless of age, race and ethnicity, income level, or gender. goodbye letter to alcohol People can use substances occasionally without developing SUD, but even a few episodes of taking certain substances can lead to tolerance and dependence.