How to Know If You Need Addiction Treatment

The easiest way to know if you need addiction treatment is to understand the signs, ask yourself the questions we’ve listed below, and answer them honestly. 

Remember: Addiction is tricky. It will try to trick you into denying it exists. It’ll try to convince you that you’re just “trying to have a good time” or you can “cut back on your own anytime you want to. 

The good news is you landed on this page. That means you already have some awareness that you have a problem you may need addiction treatment to solve. 

Let’s dig in.

3 Warning Signs You May Need Addiction Treatment

When you have a substance use disorder, the common signs of addiction will show up in your life sooner or later. You might pull away from friends and family, miss work, or struggle to keep up with responsibilities as substance use becomes more of a focus. Combined, these are all signs that it may be time to look into treatment.

1. You’ve tried to cut back or quit, but it never seems to stick.

Think about the times you’ve tried to slow down or stop your own substance use. Have you genuinely tried multiple times but returned to use? Treatment can help you address your substance use, along with other factors, including mental health conditions like depression.

Willpower isn’t sufficient to beat addiction. If you can use willpower to successfully cut back on alcohol or drugs when they are causing problems, you don’t have addiction. Addiction is a medical condition rather than just a bad habit or a lack of self-control. It requires outside help and a system of living we call recovery to get it in check. 

2. You’re isolating or your drug use is affecting relationships and responsibilities.

If your relationships with your family, friends, and coworkers have been becoming increasingly tense or disconnected, this can be a red flag that addiction has taken root. This is especially true if you are favoring only the people who know who accept our drinking or drug use or enable or participate in it. 

As a substance use disorder evolves, it follows a predictable pattern. The drug or drink becomes increasingly important in your life, at the expense of everything else. Neglecting work or family responsibilities, mounting money troubles, letting your health go. These are all red flags that your drinking or drugging have become a real problem. 

3. Withdrawal symptoms or health problems as a result of drugs or alcohol.

You can take it as a sign that your body has become dependent on a substance if you feel sick, anxious, or shaky when you try to stop or cut back without medical support. These withdrawal symptoms vary based on the substance and amount you use, but if you’ve got any at all with any regularity, it’s a sign you need substance use disorder treatment.

Drinking or drugging to excess also takes a toll on your physical health. Even if you haven’t experienced withdrawal, take a closer look at your health. Have you had unusual weight gain or loss? Is your skin, hair or oral hygiene suffering? Do you sleep too much or not enough? Have you stopped eating well or exercising?

What’s the Difference Between Occasional Use and a Problem?

Occasional substance use may not interfere with your life. However, when you need more to feel the same effect or you’re constantly thinking about the next time you’ll use, it points to a bigger problem. These patterns are easier to spot when your health, work, or relationships start to suffer too.

Rather than think about it as how often you use, think about whether you have lost control of your use. Take an honest look at what’s changed over the months or years since you began drinking or using more. How much of what’s not going the way you’d like in your life could be attributed to drugs or drinking? 

What If You’re Still Not Sure You Need Addiction Treatment?

It’s common to feel unsure if your current substance use warrants going to detox or rehab. But, you’re still reading, so some part of you suspects you may need outside help.  to give you more certainty about what you’ve been experiencing, without any assumption that you’ve got it all figured out. 

If you’re not sure whether you need treatment, that’s a good reason to ask a professional.

What Happens During an Addiction Assessment?

During an addiction assessment, you’ll speak with a professional about your health history, substance use, and how you’re managing your personal and work responsibilities. 

You can talk openly about what’s happened when you’ve tried to slow down or stop. The treatment center will explain its levels of support and recommend the type of care that fits you.

What Treatment Options Are Available?

After assessment, the center walks you through your options and recommends what fits. Depending on the provider, these options may include:

• Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP)
• Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP)
• Outpatient Program

These plans can use various types of therapy, such as Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) and  Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) in individual and group settings, based on your specific situation and schedule. You can also step up or down between programs as you progress.

If you have any mental health conditions, such as anxiety or depression, your care may also address these symptoms through dual-diagnosis treatment.

Take the Next Step With Blue Star Recovery

Blue Star Recovery, based in Hazlet, New Jersey, offers a full range of treatment options. Our care team builds a treatment plan around you, instead of placing you into a one-size-fits-all program.

Contact us today to explore your options and begin your journey toward lasting recovery.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I know if my drinking or drug use is “bad enough” for treatment?

If substance use, whether it’s drinking or drugs, affects your health, personal relationships, daily functioning, and/or professional life, it’s worth talking to a professional. Every person’s situation is different, and there’s no specific threshold that makes you “bad enough” for treatment.

Can I keep working while in treatment?

It depends on your level of care. IOP and outpatient programs take less time, so many people can keep working while attending. If you require more intensive care, you will likely not be able to keep working during treatment. 

Won’t I lose my job if I go to full-time treatment?

If you are a full time employee you may be eligible for medical leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). FMLA can protect your job for up to three months while you get the help you need. 

What if I’ve tried treatment before and it didn’t work?

Previously attending treatment and returning to use does not mean that another attempt will not work. Your care team will fully assess your health and history, including if you’ve had previous treatment experiences, to identify a different pathway for your care this time.

Sources:

1. What Is a Substance Use Disorder? – American Psychiatric Association (APA)
2. Substance use disorders: a comprehensive update of classification, epidemiology, neurobiology, clinical aspects, treatment and prevention – NIH
3. Treatment Approaches for Drug Addiction – NIDA