Psychiatry and psychology

Consultants

Signs of substance disorder

It is difficult to describe the complexity of the disease, when it is an addiction to a toxic substance. However, there are a series of characteristics in the behavior that allows a probable diagnosis:

• Continual use of a substance like alcohol or tranquilizers, even though you are aware that you are harming yourself.
• Use of a substance to change or elevate your mood, instead of psychologically (rationally) working through the particular problem.
• Continual use of a substance, even though family and friends are concerned about your substance abuse.
• Lying to family and friends and hiding the substance , with the purpose of continual use of the substance.

The disease of addiction often times can become complicated because of personality disorders, and depression. These can vary from simple anxiety to light depression, or more serious disorders like bi-polar.

The presence of a mental disorder associated with addiction is common. However, it is vital that both disorders are treated at the same time in order to better the probability of treatment success and recovery.