Mental and Behavioural Disorders due to Psychoactive Substance use
As per the statistics in India, 22.4 per cent of the population above 18 years suffer from substance use disorder. The highest was contributed by tobacco and alcohol use disorder. Alcohol use was higher in males (9 per cent) as against women (0.5 per cent).
Psychoactive Substance Abuse and the resultant complications arise from the use of 10 separate classes of drugs: alcohol; caffeine; cannabis; hallucinogens and other hallucinogens, such as LSD; inhalants; opioids; sedatives, hypnotics, or anxiolytics; tobacco; and other or unknown substances.
There are two groups of substance-related disorders:
Substance-use disorders
Substance-induced disorders.
How do we know if someone has Substance Use Disorders?
There are a wide variety of problems arising from substance use (Including Alcohol):
- Any person who is taking the substance in larger amounts or for longer than one is meant to.
- May be wanting to cut down or stop using the substance but unable to do so.
- Spending a lot of time in getting, using the substance or recovering from use of the substance.
- Has cravings and urges to use the substance.
- Unable to manage day to day activities at work, home, or school because of substance use.
- May continue to use the substance even if it causes problems in relationships.
- Has been giving up important social, occupational, or recreational activities because of substance use.
- Using substances again and again, even when it puts him/her in danger.
- Continuing to use, even when you know you have a physical or psychological problem that could have been caused or made worse by the substance.
Two more important symptoms which can be seen:
- Needing more of the substance to get the effect (nashaa) you want. (tolerance for substance has increased)
- Development of withdrawal symptoms, which can be relieved by taking more of the substance (which means getting more addicted to the substance)
Substance/Medication-Induced Mental Disorders
Substance or ant medication-induced conditions are problems that appear in those people who did not have any mental health problems before using substances.:
- Psychotic disorder induced by excessive substance use.
- Bipolar and related disorders due to substance use.
- Substance-induced depressive disorders
- Substance-induced anxiety disorders
- Obsessive-compulsive and related disorders due to substance use
- Sleep disorders due to substance use
- Sexual dysfunctions which are induced by substance use
- Delirium due to substance use
- Neurocognitive disorders due to substance use
Treatment and cure is possible!
The person who is addicted to a substance use doesn't accept that he is having any problems. Therefore, such persons never come for treatment willingly. People around them, who deal with their problems day in and day out are the sufferers.
If you have been ignoring your symptoms or you know someone who has the above mentioned condition, help them out!
If not treated, substance use disorders can be harmful to your health, your relationships, and your life as a whole. You are playing with your life or someone's life by ignoring these symptoms, these conditions can result into fatality, so get help as early as possible.