Excess alcohol consumption or substance abuse can have severe effects on a person’s physical, mental, and social health. To fight alcohol and substance abuse, the first step is to identify the signs and then get treatment accordingly.

Here are some signs and treatment approaches for alcohol and substance abuse.

What are alcohol addiction and substance abuse?
To understand the signs and treatment approaches for alcohol and substance abuse, one must first know these problems.

Alcohol can affect different individuals in varying ways. While it can be a way to enjoy dinner with family or a get together with loved ones for some, it may become an addiction for others. If a person consumes alcohol in excess or indulges in it too regularly, they may become dependant on it and may be unable to control their consumption or temptation. This can indicate a bigger problem like alcohol abuse and extreme dependency.

Alcohol or substance abuse is a condition that can have severe effects on a person’s mental wellbeing. It can cause an urge to use an illegal substance or prescription medications for experiencing a seeming “high,” and this urge can become uncontrollable. Once a person gets addicted, they continue using the substance regardless of the damage it causes them.

What are the common signs of alcohol and substance abuse?
There are various symptoms of alcohol and substance abuse, and we’ll look at a few of them here. When there is a high concentration of alcohol in the blood, it can lead to:

• Problems with speech
• Slow reflexes
• Reduced control over body movements
• Problems with concentrating
• Poor decisions
• Blackouts, wherein the person is conscious but has no memory of what they did during the time

When alcohol is present in extremely high levels in the bloodstream, it can even cause breathlessness and make a person end up in a coma. In extremely severe cases, it can prove fatal. The symptoms of substance abuse include the following:

• Urge to use the substance one is addicted to daily or even multiple times during the day
• Strong compulsion to use the substance to help block thoughts
• The need to use the substance in larger quantities to get the desired results and taking it for longer durations than planned
• Making sure that the supply of the substance does not stop
• Continuous spending on the substance that one is addicted to, regardless of the affordability
• Becoming irresponsible toward work and other responsibilities and socializing less due to the addiction

What are the treatment options for alcohol and substance abuse?
Depending on the signs of alcohol and substance abuse, the treatment approaches focus on getting rid of the addiction and enabling a person to stay away from what they are addicted to. The treatment options for alcohol abuse include:

• Medications
• Help from support groups

The treatment options for substance abuse include:

• Treatment programs for chemical dependence
• Detoxification
• Cognitive behavioral therapy
• Joining support groups