Signs you’re self-medicating to cope with stress
Stress is part of everyday life, but sometimes misunderstoodWhether it’s a college student struggling to study for exams, a businessman struggling to meet deadlines, or a parent who can’t sleep, it’s not always fun, but there’s a place for it too. Stress can motivate people, but it can also escalate things out of control. Unfortunately, many people try to deal with these feelings through drugs and alcohol. Banyan Treatment Center Massachusetts Find out the signs people are self-medicating to cope with stress and why this is a problem.
How People Self-Medicate
People under a fair amount of pressure may use various substances to help alleviate this.
These substances include:
- Prescription drugs – from From stimulants used to treat ADHD, to opioids and benzodiazepines for anxiety, to medications prescribed by doctors, they can all be abused. This occurs when patients more often take more than prescribed or mix the drug with other substances.
- illegal drugs –Drugs such as cocaine, heroin, and even marijuana are commonly used to manage symptoms of stress a person may be experiencing. However, it can be abused where a user’s professional, educational, and even some relationship status can be hit.
- alcohol – This is a very common route taken by self-medicators. Although often viewed as a social activity and considered perfectly legal for anyone over the age of 21, the normalization of alcohol in our culture is limited to a beer, a glass of wine, or a It can explain the commonality of people trying to treat themselves with alcoholic beverages.
- nicotine – Many people spend their days smoking cigarettes, chewing tobacco, and most recently e-cigarettes. While they may temporarily help a person focus or relax, they pose a serious risk to a person’s physical health and contribute to the negative moods a person may be suffering from. increase.
There are also some signs that a person has opted for self-medication.
- disregard for personal hygiene
- skip meals
- isolation from loved ones
- habit secrets
- Self defense against drug use
- unexplained financial troubles
- fall behind at school or work
People exhibiting the above symptoms should do their best to reflect on the habits they have developed. Dealing with stress can easily snowball to devastating consequences.
What are the causes and effects of self-medication?
There are some unique scenarios that result in people self-medicating to cope with stress.
Common reasons for self-medication include:
- Masks unpleasant emotions such as fear, despair, and stress.
- Address symptoms of mental health disorders such as anxiety and depression.
- To bury and forget past traumatic memories.
- The pressure to keep working at school or work, or the desire to improve performance.
Left unchecked, a person’s self-medication habits can eventually escalate into an uncontrollable substance use disorder.If this occurs, it is important that individuals seek out Massachusetts Addiction Treatment in banyan. Our therapeutic professionals are trained to help each patient reflect on the choices that have brought them to this point and develop healthier coping mechanisms to move forward. achieved by a method. treatment program Offered at Rehab in Massachusetts.
For more information about the programs they offer to help those struggling with addiction recovery, call the Wilmington Rehabilitation Center in Banyan today. 888-280-4763.
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