Addiction can occur in many forms and affect many areas of your life. By and large, alcohol use disorder (AUD) and drug addiction are the most common substance use disorders affecting Americans. Recognizing the damaging effects of substance abuse can drive you to get help from an addiction treatment center in Oregon or one near you.
Need to improve your addiction education? We can help. Call us today at 866.262.0531.
What Are Addictive Behaviors?
Addictive behaviors are compulsive behaviors that provide instant gratification. When we become reliant on a repetitive behavior in order to feel a certain emotion, our brain chemistry changes, then it becomes harder to cope without the use of that addictive behavior.
Most people think of addiction as being limited to drug and alcohol abuse, but there are many other types of addiction that can also be destructive. Some common examples of addictive behaviors include: gambling, sex, shopping, work, eating, smoking, exercise and internet use.
While addictive behaviors may not seem harmful at first, they can quickly spiral out of control and have a negative impact on every aspect of your life. If you are struggling to break free from an addictive behavior in regards to drugs or alcohol, it is important to seek professional help. With treatment, you can learn how to cope with triggers and cravings, and develop healthy coping mechanisms for dealing with stress and emotions.
5 Ways Drug Addiction and Alcoholism Affect Your Life
Compulsively seeking and using drugs or alcohol can take a toll on your life in the following ways:
1. Decline in Physical Health
Prolonged abuse of alcohol and drugs (both prescription and illicit) can weaken your immune system and make you prone to heart problems, heart attacks, infections from sharing needles, and diseases such as lung disease, cirrhosis, or kidney disease. Addictive substances also damage the brain, change how it works, or interfere with thinking, memory, and decision-making.
2. Mental Health Concerns
Drug or alcohol abuse can cause you to develop a mental disorder such as anxiety, depression, or an eating disorder. It can worsen the symptoms of a mental disorder you had prior to substance abuse. Individuals with two or more mental disorders will likely need dual diagnosis treatment. Substance abuse is also associated with sleep disorders and psychiatric disturbances such as mood swings, paranoia, hallucinations, psychosis, and delirium. The following indicators may indicate that a person you love is struggling with substance use disorder:
3. Drop in Work or School Performance
Being preoccupied with drinking or doing drugs can make you lose your motivation for work or school. Focusing more on satisfying your cravings may cause you to miss work or school or you may stay away to hide your addictive behaviors. Your performance may eventually decline, you may drop out or get kicked out of school, quit your job, or get fired. The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) reports that addiction costs the United States over $600 billion each year in medical expenses, lost productivity, and crime-related costs.
4. Tumultuous Personal Relationships
Domestic arguments and family violence are common in homes where a family member is frequently intoxicated. The substances that trick our brains into thinking we feel good–when used regularly and in high doses–are detrimental to our self-esteem, productivity, and relationships. Family, relatives, friends, and loved ones may eventually distance themselves from you because of your addictive behaviors. People may experience the following issues when dealing with substance use disorder.
5. Financial Hardship
Money spent acquiring alcoholic beverages and illegal drugs may eventually take a toll on your or your family’s finance. Losing your job over addictive habits will also reduce income. Drug and alcohol use have negative impacts on our cognitive functioning, causing people to sink deeper and deeper into poverty. Dwindling finances or loss of income forces some people to develop secondary addictive behaviors. These behaviors may include lying, stealing, and manipulating others in order to support their addiction. Addiction can also result in legal fees for breaking traffic laws, family violence, theft, or other crimes.
Addiction Treatment at Crestview Recovery in Oregon
Crestview Recovery provides a variety of residential and inpatient treatment programs and therapies to help people like you recover from alcoholism and drug addiction. Treatment is a process and is carried out in any of the following settings after you complete detox:
- Intensive outpatient program (IOP)
- Outpatient drug rehab center
- Partial-hospitalization program (PHP)
- Extended care addiction treatment
Our master’s level therapists may recommend dual diagnosis treatment, behavioral therapy, trauma therapy, or other addiction therapy services based on your needs. Cognitive-behavioral therapy is designed to help you change the thinking and behaviors that cause and reinforce substance abuse.
Your Healing Can Begin at Our Addiction Treatment Center
Our recovery center is located in Portland, Oregon, and welcomes men and women aged 18 and older from Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Seattle. Contact us online or call us at 866.262.0531 to find out about our programs and admissions process.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
