The month of February has been designated by the Ministry of Health as the Drugs and Alcohol Awareness Month. The goal is to raise awareness among the population about the harm alcohol and drug abuse cause to users' physical and mental health, as well as the secondary effects related to societal disorders.
Non-prescription medications
74.6%
44%
5.6%
4.1%
It is well-known that people often seek social crutches to cope with certain situations or everyday problems, and drugs frequently fall into this context—especially alcohol, which is legal and socially accepted. But noise is not cured with more noise. Problems can escalate even further when addressed with substances that lead to addiction.
Many people are already in this labyrinth and haven’t even noticed.
That’s why we’re highlighting some signs that may indicate it’s time to seek a way out
Consuming excessive amounts or attempting to quit but being unable to.
Consuming more and more to reach the same effect
Neglecting responsibilities at work, school, or home
Driving under the influence of a substance, sharing needles or other materials, engaging in unprotected sexual activity
Spending more than necessary to sustain consumption
Experiencing signs of withdrawal, for example
A study from Duke University showed that more than 40% of our daily actions were not real decisions, but habits. Over time, habits have a significant influence on our health, productivity, and happiness.
To get out of this labyrinth, you need to change your routine, while seeking a reward similar to the one you were getting before.
Therapy
Healthy eating
Family
Physical activity
A new project
Leisure
According to American journalist Charles Duhigg, author of The Power of Habit (which stayed on The New York Times bestseller list for over twenty weeks), a smoker, for example, will only quit the habit when they find an activity to replace smoking that offers a similar "reward" to what they experienced before.
He adds that some habits can trigger a chain reaction. This is the case with physical activity, which leads to changes in other patterns. When you get moving, you eat better, wake up earlier, feel less stressed, and become more patient… in other words, exercise can be a keystone habit that triggers widespread changes in your lifestyle.
Changing habits and the way of thinking is the first step, and this may be enough for some people. However, there are situations where it is necessary to seek specialized help.
According to the World Health Organization, dependence on both legal and illegal drugs is considered a disease and, therefore, requires treatment and follow-up by a multidisciplinary healthcare team.
After the diagnosis, which should be made by specialists, it is common to combine treatment with psychologists and psychiatrists with support group participation, such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous, for example.
The exits from the labyrinth do exist. Find one.
Technical Manager: Claudio Albuquerque, Medical Director of MDS Brazil – CRM (Regional Medical Council) 188683
