By Hannah Barrett, Kindred Roots Intern Therapist, BSW, RSW

I’ve worked in addiction recovery and harm reduction since before I graduated as a BSW, beginning with outpatient addiction treatment and groups, relapse prevention, and family addiction recovery as a student, then working with families supporting someone in recovery, case managing on the intake team for an opioid agonist therapy (OAT) program, providing addiction counselling for those on OAT, and now working closely with clients in active poly-substance addiction, seeking to take their first step to treatment and recovery. It has always been my philosophy that the choice to use is not what seals our fate, and that no one wakes up one day and thinks, “man, it’s a good day to develop an addiction!”; rather, addiction is a disease that is born from pain and trauma. The best thing we can do is ensure that people are well informed on the experience and risks of using substances, what puts them at risk for developing addictions, and when to hit the brakes on a substance or process.

We live in a social culture of after work drinks, a glass of wine in the bath to relax, a beer by the lake, an edible before the movies, a joint passed around the campfire; alcohol and marijuana are legal for adults to purchase and use recreationally in Canada and about half of the United States, so in general, these things are viewed as harmless, normal, part of adult or even adolescent life depending on where you’re from. Beyond the legal and regulated substances, there is an entire world of substance use beyond the common social culture, such as prescription drug use and misuse, the recreational use of illicit ‘party drugs’, recreational use of psychedelics, and even new therapeutic practices using psychedelics such as psilocybin (mushrooms), MDMA, and LSD. All substances, and even several processes such as gambling, sex, and playing video games, can be seen on a use “spectrum”: from beneficial and non-problematic use to being misused or ‘abused’, and ultimately to problematic use, chronic dependence, and/or addiction. So when does use become misuse or abuse? When is is time to consider talking with someone about addiction concerns? Here are a couple things to consider:

Misuse VS Abuse

It’s important to keep in mind that misuse does not necessarily mean you have an addiction or a substance use disorder; misuse is typically thought of as the infrequent and/or accidental “overdoing it”. Most people who use substances have been there— a few too many drinks, accidentally taking the wrong dosage of an edible, maybe even missing a prescription pill and taking two to “make up for it”. These things happen — and they do not always indicate problematic behaviour— but can lead to substance use disorders and/or addiction.

Dependency

A telltale sign that your substance use may be problematic is if you’ve noticed the development of a dependency. Dependency can be mental or emotional, in that the person does not feel they can manage their emotions or feel “normal” without the substance, or physical, where the person feels physically sick or unwell if they do not use the substance. Either form of dependency indicates that at some point, this use may be problematic. Of course, there are some contexts in which dependency is a bit of a different story: there are some substances one can become physically and emotionally dependent on such as medication to treat physical illness or mental illness, such as ADHD, anxiety, or depression, which is why these medications should not be stopped or quit “cold turkey”— medical dependence is managed by a proper titration of the dose determined by a medical professional.

Intent of Use

“Recreational use” is generally referring to the concept of using substances for fun or to experiment with their usage. Another indicator that substance use has become disordered or problematic is why the person is using substances: if the person using the substance is using it as a coping mechanism or as an “escape” from their feelings or life, in the place of healthy coping skills and rather than just for fun, this may indicate that the intent of their use is problematic.

Consequences of Use

Another key difference between non-problematic use and substance abuse is whether or not the use has negative and lasting consequences for the person. Is the use causing physical illness, fatigue, or other medical complications? Is the use affecting their mood? Has the use or resulting personal changes caused tension or issues in relationships, at work, or otherwise? Are friends or family concerned with the persons use or behaviour surrounding use? Typically, true non-problematic or recreational use does not have many consequences for the person. When you take a step back and look at your use, does it have any negative consequences?

Control

If the person continues to use the substance despite the negative consequences or resulting dependence, this may indicate a loss of control over use, which is another good indicator that they may need some help managing their use or addiction.

If you are experiencing one or any combination of these signs, it may be time to check in with a therapist and talk about it. Any of the therapists who are part of Kindred Roots Therapy are available to provide a non-judgemental space for you to talk it out and decide what’s working, what’s not working, and what’s next. Book an in-person or virtual session today. Book Now