Substance Use Disorder
According to the 2022 National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 48.7 million Americans aged 12 or older had a substance use disorder. Substance use disorders continue to be an important health issue in our country and here in Kane County.
What are substance use disorders?
Substance Use Disorders (SUDs) are long-term, treatable health problems where a person has trouble controlling their use of drugs or alcohol, even though it’s hurting their health, relationships, or daily life. It involves a mix of thinking, behavior, and physical problems in which the person keeps using the substance despite the negative effects. SUDs can be mild or severe and can affect anyone, no matter their race, gender, income, or social status.1
A substance use disorder diagnosis can be applied to the following classes of drugs:
- alcohol
- cannabis
- hallucinogens
- inhalants
- opioids
- sedatives
- hypnotics, or anxiolytics
- stimulants;
- tobacco (nicotine)
- other (or unknown) substances
Repeated use of, and dependence on the substance will lead to a pattern of compulsive use, drug tolerance, and if discontinued, withdrawal symptoms.
What is withdrawal?
Many people continue misusing drugs so that they can avoid withdrawal. Withdrawal is the combination of physical and mental effects a person experiences after they stop using or reduce their intake of a substance such as alcohol and prescription or recreational drugs.
What does withdrawal feel like?
Withdrawal symptoms and severity will vary depending on the type of drug you were taking, the amount of time you were taking it, and the dosage you were taking. Symptoms include:
- Changes in appetite
- Changes in mood
- Chills or shivering
- Congestion
- Depression
- Fatigue
- Irritability
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Restlessness
- Runny nose
- Shakiness
- Sleeping difficulties
- Sweating
- Tremors
- Vomiting
In some instances, more severe symptoms such as hallucinations, seizures, and delirium may also occur.
While the physical symptoms of withdrawal might last only a few days or a week, the psychological withdrawal, such as depression or dysphoria, can last much longer.
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