Abuse of either illegal or legal drugs can lead to severe health problems. While some drugs help regulate your mood or manage pain, using more than recommended puts you at risk of drug abuse. Drug abuse can damage some of your tissue organs or harm the nervous system functions. While some damage can be immediate, others may accumulate over time and affect you later in life. Learn more about the health risks of drug abuse at a Recovery Bay Center in Panama City Beach, Florida and get help on how to overcome your drug addiction.
When Does Drug Use Turn into Abuse or Addiction?
Anytime you take a drug without the doctor’s prescription or take drugs that you do not need for medical reasons, you are abusing that drug and putting your health at risk. Some of the signs of drug abuse include:
- Visiting different doctors to get more drugs
- Taking drugs after your prescription has run out
- Exaggerating symptoms to get drugs
- Taking drugs to get high
- Taking more drugs than prescribed
What Are the Short-term Health Risks of Drug Abuse?
Drug abuse can make you feel excited, euphoric, and invincible. You may behave in a strange way, such as getting violent or paranoid. You may also become delusional or start hallucinating. These behaviors are unpredictable, and they may lead you to situations that can have severe consequences on your health. Drug addiction treatment in Florida can help you manage your drug abuse and get back to sober living. Some of the short-term health risks of drug abuse include:
- Lack of appetite
- Slurred speech
- Headaches
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Impaired judgment
- Decreased coordination
What Are the Long-term Health Risks of Drug Abuse?
Apart from brain damage, drug abuse can affect different body systems, leading to lasting damage. Some of the long-term health risks of drug abuse include: Mental Illness Drug abuse can provoke mental illness and even cause permanent cognitive damage. Substance abuse can cause changes in your brain, affecting neurotransmitters and hormones. When these hormones become unbalanced, you can develop psychological disorders such as depression, anxiety, and schizophrenia. Since the abuse of most drugs can trigger mental illness, untreated addiction can pose severe dangers to your mental health. A dual diagnosis treatment in Florida can help in managing your drug abuse while treating co-occurring mental disorders.
Immune System Damage
Drugs that involve injecting your veins carry a high risk of infection from HIV, hepatitis B, and C, among others. You are also at risk of bacterial infections from sharing dirty needles. Snorting or smoking drugs may also increase your risk of upper respiratory infections. The euphoria that comes after abusing drugs such as cocaine and alcohol can increase your chances of engaging in harmful sexual behaviors and contracting sexually transmitted diseases.
Cardiovascular Issues
Stimulants can increase your heart rate while depressants can slow it down. Consistent high or low blood pressure puts you at risk of circulatory problems such as blood clots and ischemia. Cocaine and heroin can cause irregular heartbeat, and their overdose can cause death from cardiac arrest.
Kidney Damage
Your kidneys filter toxins from your bloodstream. As such, they can be affected by any large amounts of dangerous substances in your blood. Some drugs breakdown the muscle tissues in your body. This muscle content can flood the bloodstream to toxic levels, which can overwhelm the kidneys leading to kidney failure. Opioids can also reduce oxygen amounts in the body leading to kidney failure.
A Drug Addiction Treatment Program in Florida Can Help You Manage Drug Abuse
Rehabilitation can reduce the harmful effects of drug abuse, offering a comprehensive approach to healing that includes physical, mental, and emotional support. The first step to recovery is accepting that you have a drug abuse problem. This is often the hardest step, but it is crucial for moving forward. Once you acknowledge the need for help, you can begin your recovery journey by joining a detoxification program. During detox, health professionals will help you manage withdrawal symptoms, stabilize your health, and begin the process of cleansing your body of addictive substances. After completing detox, many individuals transition into a specialized treatment program tailored to their specific needs, such as a men’s addiction rehab program.
A men’s addiction rehab program in Florida is designed to address the unique challenges and circumstances that men face in their recovery journey. These programs create a supportive and understanding environment where men can openly discuss their experiences, feelings, and fears without judgment. With a focus on both individual and group therapy, men are encouraged to develop new, healthy coping skills and rebuild their lives in a way that supports long-term sobriety. Additionally, a men’s addiction rehab program often includes components of physical fitness, nutrition, stress management, and vocational training, helping participants to restore not just their sobriety, but their overall well-being and self-worth.
In a men’s addiction rehab program, the treatment is often more focused and can be adjusted to the specific needs and dynamics of male patients, considering factors such as societal pressures, emotional expression, and the biological differences that may impact addiction and recovery. This targeted approach allows for a deeper level of healing and personal growth, empowering men to leave their past behind and move forward with confidence and resilience on their path to a substance-free life.
By choosing a drug addiction treatment program in Florida, individuals are taking a significant step towards reclaiming their lives and breaking free from the chains of addiction. Whether opting for a general program or a specialized men’s addiction rehab program, participants are afforded the care, tools, and support necessary to make a lasting change and maintain long-term sobriety.
There are several drug rehab programs in Florida to help you on your recovery journey. These approaches include:
- Alcohol detox centers
- Opiate detox center
- Intensive outpatient program
- Co-occurring disorder treatment
Remember that drug addiction treatment does not end at the detox center. You can consider joining support groups such as group therapies for continued support.
Get Help at Recovery Bay Center Today
At the Recovery Bay Center, we care about your health. Medical professionals at our drug rehab facility in Florida are ready to help you achieve long-term recovery and live a healthy life. Contact Recovery Bay Center at 833.991.2955 to learn more about the health risks of drug abuse and get treatment to overcome your substance abuse problem.