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 Signs of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) 

  • What are opioids?
    Opioids are chemicals (natural or synthetic) that reduce feelings of pain. Common prescription opioids include: Percocet® and OxyContin® (oxycodone),Vicodin® (hydrocodone), codeine, methadone, fentanyl, heroin, and morphine.
  • Can I become addicted to opioids even if my Doctor prescribes them?
    YES. Prescription opioids are highly addictive and are extremely dangerous when taken differently than how they were prescribed or when taken for a prolonged period of time. Everyone is different. Some people are more suseptable and may become addicted more easiy than others. Some people are more susceptible to addiction than others. But nobody is immune. For many, opioids bestow an immediate sense of tranquility, only to trap the user in a vicious cycle that essentially rewires the brain.
  • What is an inpatient Rehab Facility?
    An inpatient rehab facility is a residential treatment center where patients reside for 30-90 days, depending on the severity of the individual's addiction. Addiction treatment centers provide a medically-monitored environment where patients receive 24/7 medical attention. Patients also receive group and individual therapy, which is extremely helpful in a person's recovery. A rehab facility is the first step towards recovery. You should also have a "door-to-door" plan in place for sober living accommodations directly from rehab. Sober living is considered the bridge between recovery and the real world.
  • What is a Sober Living House?
    A sober living house is sometimes referred to as a halfway house. Sober living operates as a bridge between a rehab facility and the real world. Sober living homes can be a perfect option for people in recovery. Residents are encouraged to relearn and develop healthy coping skills and habits for when they return home.
  • Why is support beneficial to families with loved ones addicted to opioids?
    Support is extremely beneficial because it helps loved ones realize that they are not alone. Knowing that others are going through or have gone through this struggle can be very helpful. Having a group to talk to, cry with, and ask questions in confidence with no stigma attached is very comforting. On our menu bar click on Education and Resources, then go to, "If you or a loved one need help," to find support.
  • What Paraphernalia might your find when someone is using opioids?
    There are a variety of items you may find; needles, orange needle caps, spoons with or without bent handles, small cotton balls, straws, tinfoil squares with black lines on them, pens with the ink taken out, alcohol swabs, stamp-sized baggies, and lighters are examples of items you may find.
  • Is continued drug abuse a voluntary behavior?
    Initially the decision to take drugs is voluntary. whether it be from a prescription written for you by a dr., or by making the decision to take it illegally. Either way, with continued use, a person’s ability to control taking this drug can quickly turn into an addiction. The choice to take the drug becomes "a must" rather than a choice. The drug impairs an individuals self-control is the onset of addiction. Brain imaging shows that people with addiction have physical changes in the critical judgemnet areas of the brain. This effects decision making, memory, learning, and behavior control. It is believed by Scientists that these changes rewire how the brain works and helps explain the destructive behaviors of addiction.
  • How many people died from a drug overdose in 2020?
    According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 96,000 people died of drug overdoses in 2020, an increase of almost 30% in just one year. The largest single year increase in overdose deaths ever reported in the United States.
Stressed Woman

Recognizable signs of someone suffering from Substance Use Disorder:

CHANGES IN BEHAVIOR

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  • Skips classes, misses work

  • Spending a lot of cash, asking for cash, missing cash

  • Changes in friends and relationships

  • Friends report they are worried about the individual

  • Unusually quiet, withdrawn, more irritable, cranky

  • Argumentative, moody

  • Withdrawn from family

  • Missing items or cash from house

  • Secretive behavior, lying, stealing

 

PHYSICAL SIGNS

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  • Pupils smaller or larger than normal

  • Frequent sneezing

  • Weight loss

  • No appetite

  • Sleeping all the time

  • Lack of  personal hygiene

  • Unexplained disappearances

  • Sweaty or shaky hands

  • Runny nose, persistent cough, nausea, vomiting

                   

WHO CAN YOU GO TO FOR ADVICE?   

                         

  • A Parent, family, a friend, or someone you know that may be going through or has gone through the same experience.

  • School counselor, teacher

  •  Doctor, social worker

                

You may decide to talk to the individual directly regarding your concerns, if you do:

 

  • Make sure you are fully prepared before you have the talk. Have in mind, or even write down what you are going to say.  This will help you to stay on track and cover what you intend to say.

  • Ask individual how they feel. Remember this is about them.

  • Make sure not to add shame or guilt, they already feel it inside.  Even if they don’t show signs of shame it is highly likely they feel it.

  • Don’t initiate your conversation when the person has used.

  • Don’t have the talk when you or the other person are angry.  This only provokes more anger with negative results.

  • Talk about what you have seen—how they’ve been acting.

  • Have some examples of why you are concerned, and make sure they know that you love them and are concerned for them.

  • Remember this is about the person’s well-being.

  • Stay calm.

  • This could be the first step in the right direction if they are willing to admit that they have a problem.

  • Have some options for help on hand in case they are ready at that moment to get help.

How Can I Dispose Of Unwanted Opioids And Other Medications?

DO YOU WANT TO BE RESPONSIBLE FOR SOMEONE YOU KNOW  BECOMING ADDICTED TO OPIOIDS OR WORSE?

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Did you know that opioids often enter the hands of family, friends, and community through the family medicine cabinet? We must all be aware of this fact and do our part to prevent this from happening.

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KEEP ALL MEDICATIONS LOCKED IN A SAFE PLACE

 

This prevents the chance of:

  • medication getting into the hands of children

  • pets finding and ingesting medications

  • curious family members or houseguests taking it, and possibly becoming addicted and/or passing it out to friends

 

PLEASE DO YOUR PART

 

Don't be naive and think, "That would never happen in our house." Because it can and does happen in many homes.​

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  • To dispose of unneeded or expired medicines, take your medicine to DEA-registered collectors deadiversion.usdoj.gov

  • or visit safe.pharmacy/drug-disposal

  • These sites safely and securely collect and dispose of pharmaceuticals containing controlled substances and other medicines.

  • Some of these community collection sites may have collection receptacles, referred to as “drop-boxes.” These boxes assist consumers in safely disposing of their unused medicines.

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