There can be a fine line between use and addiction that’s difficult to discern. If you feel that there might be a problem with your usage, then pay attention to these five signs. They can tell you if they have crossed into the territory of addiction.
Keep Taking It
One of the major hallmarks of addiction is that you consistently use the substance. While many quibble about where the exact line is between use and abuse, those with an addiction will use their chosen substances quite frequently regardless of consequences. Even if the substance is interfering with work, family, friends and life in general, you keep taking it.
Tolerance
The reason for using a substance is that you want to obtain a certain feeling from it. Depending on the substance this can be a calming or slowing sensation, more energy, hallucinations and more. Regardless of the feeling you’re chasing, the shared experience between all people with drug addictions is that they are chasing a feeling.
Your body builds a tolerance to the substance. The usual amount doesn’t do it anymore. You need more to get even close to the feeling. If you find that you are taking significantly more than you used to and the feeling is still diminished, then you might have an addiction. Those with tolerance issues should consider treatment for drug addiction. In terms of opioid addiction, AION Health says, “it’s the pursuit of a high that oftentimes hooks everyday people into the difficult cycle of opioid addiction.”
Cravings
You crave the drug constantly. It becomes a punctuation for every feeling. You want it because you’re bored, happy, sad or feeling uneasy. The craving sensation might change depending on your substances of choice, but all people with addiction issues face cravings. They feel it in their bodies and are uneasy until they obtain the substance. This can even make it hard to be around friends and family members because they take away from time that could be spent with the substance.
Wanting a certain substance isn’t necessarily bad, but intense cravings are a sign of addiction.
Thinking About the Substance
Most of your waking thoughts are now somehow connected with the drug. Common thoughts in this arena would be about how much you need it, how good it will feel, how you’ll get more, ruminating over when and how you’re going to take it and so on. Those with addiction issues will find that they become irritated if anyone interrupts these thoughts.
If you find yourself primarily thinking about your chosen substances, then this is a major sign of addiction.
Borrow and Steal to Pay for Drugs
You will do anything to get your hands on another hit. This includes using all of your own money and then borrowing from anyone willing to give you money. This often includes your closest friends and family members. When that stops working, many people turn to stealing or other illegal behaviors to get enough money for their substances.
Going down this road is another major sign of drug addiction that must not be ignored.
Conclusion
Knowing when you have crossed the line between recreational use to addiction can be tough, but it’s mostly about cravings, tolerance, consistent use and a willingness to borrow or steal to get more. If you find yourself having of these problems, then you may want to consider treatment