It’s one of the most difficult questions to come to terms with: Am I an addict?
Maybe you have already asked yourself this question before, and maybe you told yourself that you could handle it, or that you had everything under control. Now, you may feel differently. You may be realizing that you can’t handle things as well as you once thought, and that for once, you don’t have everything under control. Maybe your love for going out and drinking with friends has emerged into a more routine, dangerous habit. Or maybe those occasional “smoke and tokes” with friends has become habitual.
Whatever the case may be, you have now found yourself coming face to face with the question of whether or not you have a dependency on the drug you once enjoyed socially. And, you’re waiting for an answer.
The Drug Addict: There is No Single Profile
For many people, knowing whether they are addicted or not isn’t exactly black and white. We’re taught through movies and television that the face of an addict is easy to judge: They are often jobless, homeless and withered away to nothing. They don’t have friends or family or children who care about them. They walk around with dark circles under their eyes and track marks on their arms, waiting for their next big fix.
The truth is that there is no one profile for a drug addict. While certain factors may make one person more likely to experiment and become addicted to drugs than another, this isn’t always the case. And while there are some drug addicts who do walk around with little hope for themselves, this isn’t always the case either.
At The River Source, we see all types of people walk through our doors. Some have jobs, prestigious ones in fact. Most have families and friends who love and care about them. Some have children waiting for them at home, while others lead a more quiet and self-preserved life. Many have finished high school, and some have completed college. Others have reached rock bottom with nowhere else to go.
In many cases, it’s time that makes all the difference. When did the person admit that they had an addiction? When did they seek treatment? How long was their treatment for?
By coming to terms with the fact that you do have an addiction and getting the immediate help that you need, you can often avoid the treacherous path of severe addiction and instead get yourself back on the right feet. But, when exactly do you know that enough is enough?
Questions Only You Can Answer
Below are questions to ask yourself – honestly. Not all of them are about drugs, in fact, as addiction is a disease of the brain, not just something tied to abuse. Therefore, addiction affects us in all aspects of life, not just one. Remember, think about how you feel inside when you answer these questions, as it’s not the type of drug that matters, but why you use them and how they make you feel that is of real importance.
1. Do you use drugs regularly to get through your day? When you wake up? Go to bed?
2. Do you ever use drugs alone?
3. Have you stolen money or other items to get money for drugs?
4. Do you lie about where the money is going, when really it’s going to drugs?
5. Have you lied to a doctor in order to obtain drugs?
6. Do you avoid people and places where drug use is not condoned?
7. Are you able to have fun without using drugs?
8. Has your job or school performance ever suffered because of drug use?
9. Do you ever lie about how much of the drug you use?
10. Do you put the purchase of drugs before your financial obligations?
11. Have you ever tried to stop using?
12. Does using interfere with sleeping, eating and personal relationships?
13. How would you feel if your drug of choice ran out?
14. Would you be able to survive without drugs?
15. Have you used drugs to deal with stress and anxiety?
16. Is using drugs making your life unhappy?
17. How do others around you feel about your drug use? Are they aware?
18. Do you ever question your own sanity?
19. Have you ever overdosed?
20. Have you ever gone to treatment for addiction?
21. Does anyone else in your family struggle with addiction?
22. How do you feel about yourself?
23. Do you think you have a drug addiction?
Only you can answer these questions appropriately, but keep in mind that admitting you have a problem is the first real step toward progress and recovery. Please contact The River Source at 866-294-9331 for more information about holistic treatment for drug addiction.