1. Your Work and School Performance are Suffering.
When someone becomes addicted to a drug, it will be all they want to do and all they care about. Many times, addiction to opium can make a person feel that their responsibilities like work and school are not as important.
According to the DOI, “The apathy caused by opiates can translate into an ‘I don’t really care’ attitude towards performance,” which can lead to an individual being formally reprimanded or even fired. If you have stopped caring about your performance at work or school because of your opium abuse and others have noticed, you need opium addiction treatment.
2. You Abuse Opium When You are Alone.
If your drug abuse stops being social, it is crucial that you seek treatment.
Abusing drugs when you are alone is a classic sign of addiction. This means that it is no longer something you only do socially but something you do all the time. Abusing opium alone is something addicts do regularly, and if you feel that you are not happy or cannot feel normal unless you are on opium, you are dealing with addiction symptoms. Think about whether or not you take it or smoke it every day, even when you’re alone. If this is true, you may need opium addiction treatment.
3. Your Health is Suffering Because of Your Opium Abuse.
According to the NIDA, abusing opium chronically can cause many health issues including:
- Physical dependence and withdrawal symptoms
- Arthritis
- Contracting HIV or Hepatitis C if you inject the drug
- Serious respiratory depression
- Constipation and other gastrointestinal issues
Any of these symptoms can be physically painful or dangerous, and if you ignore them and continue to abuse opium anyway, you may need addiction treatment in order to stop. Experiencing severe respiratory depression as a result of overdose is also an extremely dangerous issue and a sign that you should consider treatment.
4. You Have Financial and Legal Issues Stemming from Your Opium Abuse.
If you have ever
- Gotten a DUI for driving under the influence of opium
- Been arrested for abusing, buying, or selling opium
- Sought out opium to your own harm or detriment
- Spent money on opium that you needed for rent, food, or other essentials
- Gotten yourself into debt by spending money on opium
you should consider treatment, especially if these issues have occurred and you still felt unable to stop abusing opium. And for those in debt or financial hardship, according to SAMHSA, there are many low cost or free treatment programs available.
5. You are Not in Control of Your Opium Use.
This is the strongest sign that you need opium addiction treatment. Many people do not realize that they are not in control of their drug use until it has gotten extremely out of hand and they have experienced severe issues because of it, some of which may not be reversible. Consider whether your friends, family members, or other individuals have ever expressed concern about your opium abuse. Then ask yourself if you would be able to stop abusing the drug tomorrow, and answer honestly. If you feel that you could not do it without help, opium addiction treatment is for you.
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