Do you wonder whether you would benefit from a stint in drug or alcohol rehab? Perhaps someone else has mentioned that you should seek medical support. Either way, if you are suffering from drug or alcohol addiction, it can be hard to recognise the symptoms or even admit that you need help.

At Ocean Recovery Centre, we’ve listed the five most common signs indicating you need rehab treatment. By being completely honest with yourself and assessing your own behaviour, you could be taking the first important step towards recovery.

 

Your Health is Being Affected

Addiction is a serious disease that impacts the body and brain and causes health concerns all over the body, including physical and mental side effects. While certain drugs affect the body in various ways, addiction can increase your chances of organ failure, cancer and even seizures in the long term. The most common health conditions associated with addiction include:

  • Weakened immune systems
  • Increased infections
  • Heart problems
  • Difficulty breathing
  • Liver and kidney damage

In the short-term, drug and alcohol abuse can result in malnutrition, poor mental health episodes, anxiety, depression and insomnia. One of the biggest indications of addiction is when individuals continue to use the drug or alcohol despite its negative impact on their health.

 

You Have Withdrawals When You Don’t Consume the Substance

Addiction can happen to anyone but occurs because the substance changes the brain’s functions. Typically, the substance will provide a calming or boosting effect to the individual, which the brain and body seek to replicate again. As more of the substance is taken, over time, the body and brain will require higher doses of it to achieve the desired effect, and without it, will struggle to function. This is called dependence and tolerance.

When someone has a dependence, they will likely experience cravings and withdrawal symptoms without the substance. These can vary from mild symptoms like shaking, sweating and muscle spasms and can become more severe and even result in seizures and hallucinations. This is a common sign of addiction.

If you’ve tried to stop taking drugs or drinking alcohol before but struggled with challenging side effects, this is another sign that you could benefit from addiction recovery treatment. Addiction treatment is designed to treat physical addiction and any behavioural and psychological symptoms; addiction treatment also focuses on a medically-assisted detox where you’ll be supported through the withdrawal process with appropriate medication.

 

Prioritising the Substance Abuse Over Relationships

Another sign of addiction is when the substance becomes someone’s main focus – over relationships, work, family life and health, as mentioned. If you find yourself and your day-to-day life being consumed by your substance use or even thoughts about using the substance, this could be a sign that you may need rehab.

As addiction progresses, you may find that you’re going to extreme lengths to obtain the substance and spending more time, effort and money on getting it. You may also neglect your interests, home responsibilities, and relationships with friends and family. If you’ve realised that you’re spending less time with your loved ones and instead choose to focus on using a substance or trying to get the substance, this is a sign that you could benefit from speaking to a professional.

 

Hiding the Evidence of Abusing Drugs and Alcohol

It can be difficult for some people to recognise that what they suffer from is an addiction. But if you’re trying to hide your drug use or alcohol consumption from friends and family, this could be a sign that you know you’re aware there is an issue with your usage. Perhaps you lie about how much you’ve drunk or exaggerate your symptoms to get another prescription – these are all signs that you may need rehab.

Likewise, if you hide your substance abuse from others, this also indicates a problem. Perhaps you hide bottles or take the bins out before people come over, or maybe you feel like you have a separate life that few know about. If you struggle to admit or talk about how much alcohol you are drinking or drugs you are taking, you could benefit from some help.

 

Other People Have Mentioned Your Behavioral Changes

Often it’s friends, family members or even employers that recognise that someone might be struggling with an addiction. This is because they notice a change in mood or behaviour. If someone mentioned this to you, you might benefit from professional help. Partners may realise that you’ve been distant or irritable or that you’ve been spending more time drinking or trying to obtain drugs.

Family members may see that you’ve stopped taking pride in your appearance or spending less time with them. It may have been highlighted that your attendance or performance is lacking at work, or you could have even turned up to work under the influence. While these conversations may be difficult to hear and even upsetting, just know that your friends, family and colleagues all want the best for you and are looking out for you.

 

Get Help With Ocean Recovery

Often the only way to turn your back on addiction for good is to seek professional treatment – especially if any of the signs mentioned above apply to you. At Ocean Recovery, we’re here for everyone affected by addiction – including the individual, their friends, family and even employers. So, whether you have any questions, want to kickstart an intervention or just want to know what treatment is available close to you, why not get in touch with our friendly team? Your recovery could be closer than you think.

 

Our Rehab Facilities

At Ocean Recovery, we are extremely proud of our state-of-the-art facility. We provide residents with the most relaxing stay possible and they can enjoy our modern establishment.

Ocean Recovery Facilities include:

CQC Registered

FREE Transportation Included

Medically Assisted Detoxification

2 Executive, Sea View Double Ensuite Rooms

 8 Double or Single Ensuite Rooms

3 Single Rooms with Dedicated Separate Bathroom

Comfortable Communal Lounge with Piano & Sky TV

Beautiful Modern Dining Lounge

External Courtyard and Outside Seating Area

12 Months FREE Aftercare

Regular Contact with Loved Ones Encouraged

Large Multi-Purpose Group Activity Room with Superb Sea Views

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Facilities at Ocean Recovery

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John Gillen - Author - Last updated: December 16, 2022

John is one UK’s leading professionals in the addiction recovery industry. Pioneering new treatment techniques such as NAD+ and ongoing research into new therapy techniques such as systematic laser therapy, John is committed to providing the very best treatment for people throughout the UK and Europe. During his extremely busy schedule, John likes to regularly update our blog section with the latest news and trends in the industry to keep visitors to our site as well informed as possible on everything related to addiction treatment.