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If you’re asking yourself this question, chances are the right time is right now. Addiction can take on many forms. And surprisingly, many addicts effectively hide their addiction from their loved ones—until they can’t. Without proper help, it’s more than likely that your addiction will only get worse. This means that intervention as early as possible is essential to ensure no more harm comes to your health or life. As time goes on, addiction can begin to impact not just yourself but those around you. It can negatively affect your relationships and impact your performance and attendance at work. In severe cases, it can consume your entire life. So, how exactly do you know that now is the right time? Below, we take a closer look.
How To Know You Need Help
Many people push treatment down the line. This is often because they don’t believe it’s “bad enough” or that they have a problem. In fact, ignoring that there is an issue that needs to be addressed is one of the main reasons people don’t get help.
SAMHSA’s 2020 National Survey on Drug Use and Health stated that out of 38.4 million people with a Substance Use Disorder (SUD) in 2020, over 97% of them felt they didn’t need treatment.
At Freedom Recovery Centers (FRC), we understand how difficult it can be to admit to an addiction and to reach out for help. Many struggle for years before treatment, often because they haven’t hit rock bottom yet. But the truth is that waiting until rock bottom can be dangerous and make recovery that much more challenging.
So, what are the signs that you might need a helping hand?
Signs of Addiction
Perhaps the most major sign of addiction is when it starts to impact your relationships, work, family, health, and more. While its impact on your daily life may initially appear subtle, these small interferences are often only the beginning.
Health professionals use 11 criteria to diagnose a Substance Use Disorder (SUD), which can be broken into the following four categories:
1. Physical Dependence
A dependence is marked by withdrawal symptoms when you try to stop using the substance. While this can depend on the substance being used, common symptoms may include flu-like symptoms, nausea, headaches, excessive sweating, and intense cravings or urges to use.
You may also experience a tolerance—when you need more of the abused substance to achieve similar effects.
2. Social Problems
If you continue using despite relationship, social, and employment problems, this is a serious sign that you need treatment for your substance use. Examples of issues include job loss, break-ups, or tossing important social obligations to the curb—like birthdays or celebrations.
You might notice arguments have become more frequent. You may also have begun to isolate and withdraw from friends and family.
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3. Risk Usage
Despite problems, you continue to use. You may even know that using the substance the way you’re using it (or at all) can be harmful. You may also use in high-risk situations, such as driving or operating heavy machinery. These are all tell-tale signs that treatment is imperative.
4. Impaired Control
Many addicts convince themselves that they have everything under control—despite increasing evidence that says otherwise. For instance, your next binge might last longer than planned or you’ve been wanting to stop but can’t. You may also spend an excessive amount of time thinking about, planning, and trying to obtain the substance. If this sounds familiar, know help is available and recovery is possible. You don’t need to do this alone. Our team at FRC is here for you; call us at 804-635-3746 and take that first step today.
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Overcoming Common Barriers to Getting Help
One might delay treatment for many reasons, often due to common barriers. You may not feel it’s the right time because of these barriers, which may include:
- Finances
- Geographical limitations (such as living in a rural area)
- Shame and stigma
- Co-occurring conditions (Mental health disorders and addiction often go hand-in-hand.)
Addiction is a progressive disease. In reality, there is no “perfect” time to get treatment. And the longer the addiction continues, the bigger toll and impact it will have.
At FRC, our caring and compassionate team strives to help you overcome the barriers you face. While there is no “perfect” time, there is a “right” time—which could be right now.
When it comes to finances, our team can help verify your insurance, guiding you through that initial first step. For everything else, call us at 804-635-3746 or fill out our online form to talk to one of our team members. Our phone lines are open 24/7. You don’t have to do this alone; our team is here to help.
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FAQs
When do you know it’s time to seek help?
If you’re noticing substance use is interfering with your daily life, obligations, and relationships, these are tell-tale signs to seek out help. Additionally, if you’ve tried to stop on your own, struggled with cravings, and failed multiple times, this is an indicator that professional support and care is necessary to help you achieve sobriety.
What does addiction look like?
Addiction often manifests as a lack of control to stop using a substance, despite the harm it causes. While addiction can be different from person to person and depend on the abused substance, there is often increasing social isolation and an abandonment of previous commitments and obligations.
What is the first stage of treatment for addiction?
The first stage of addiction treatment usually involves withdrawal. This means ridding the body of the abused substance and managing withdrawal symptoms. With FRC, our team monitors you 24/7 during the withdrawal management phase, offering ample emotional support and medical care to reduce discomforts and help you through this difficult time.
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