Doctor Visits
Talk with Your Doctor About Drug Misuse
The Basics
Overview
If you’re worried about your drug use, talk with a doctor about getting help.
What is drug misuse?
Drug misuse includes:
- Using illegal drugs, like heroin or cocaine
- Using prescription or over-the-counter (OTC) drugs to get high
Misusing drugs can lead to drug addiction (also called drug use disorder). Drug addiction is a chronic (long-term) disease that makes it very hard to stop using drugs.
If you have a drug problem, you aren’t alone. Drug addiction is a common health problem that affects millions of adults in the United States every year.
The good news is that you can get treatment for drug addiction. Getting help is the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones.
Drug Addiction
Drug addiction is an illness that involves the brain. Drugs can change how you think, feel, and behave — and some of these changes can last a long time.
Learn more about how drugs affect the brain
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Drug addiction is a chronic disease — it may never go away completely. People with drug addiction who stop taking drugs often relapse (start taking drugs again) along the road to recovery. But treatment can help you manage your addiction and live a longer, healthier life.
Am I at Risk?
How can I tell if I’m at risk for drug addiction?
Any amount of drug misuse can put you at risk for drug addiction. Some drugs are more addictive than other drugs, and some people get addicted more easily than other people. But it’s impossible to know who will become addicted and who won’t.
You may have a drug problem if any of these things are true:
- You can’t control how often you use drugs
- Drug use causes problems with your relationships, school, or work
- You feel anxious, stressed, or sick when you aren’t using drugs
Use these questions to see if you have signs of drug addiction. If you think you might have a drug problem, it’s important to see a doctor right away.
What are the risks of drug misuse?
The risks can depend on which drugs you misuse.
One of the most serious risks is an overdose, which can lead to death. You don’t need to be addicted to drugs to have an overdose. It can happen from using some drugs — like heroin or meth — just 1 time.
Overdoses are very common with certain drugs, like opioids. Opioids are a very addictive type of drug that includes prescription pain medicines like OxyContin and Vicodin. Tens of thousands of people die from opioid overdoses in the United States each year.
Drug misuse can also increase your risk for many other health problems, including:
- Heart disease
- Hepatitis
- HIV and other STDs
Drug misuse can also put you at risk for injury and violence.
Learn more about different drugs and their health risks.
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