Are you wondering whether your substance use is okay? We all hear about the health risks of using substances when you’re pregnant, but what about after the baby is born? How can you tell when substance use is becoming a problem?
First, let’s consider the difference between occasional substance use and substance use disorder (SUD). With SUD, people get into a pattern of use that causes distress and impacts their life and their health. SUD can be mild, moderate, or severe. And it can involve any drug with the potential to become addictive, including tobacco (the most common), alcohol, marijuana, sedatives (benzos such as alprazolam or lorazepam), opioids (percocet or other pain medications), and stimulants (such as cocaine or methamphetamines).
Am I at risk for substance abuse disorder (SUD)?
SUD affects people of all ages, races, genders, and socioeconomics, and there are a lot of factors that contribute. Genetics, early exposure to substances, and traumatic childhood experiences can all raise your risk. So can preexisting mental health conditions such as depression, anxiety, ADHD, and PTSD.
Your risk is also higher during times of stress and change. For people who’ve recently given birth, all of those major life changes, especially if they’re combined with postpartum depression, may increase the risk of SUD.
How to lower your risks
In stressful times, such as postpartum, it can help to lean into healthy coping strategies instead of substance use. For example, consider trying:
- Exercise
- Meditation
- Setting aside time for things you love to do, or picking up a new hobby
- Seeing a mental health professional when you’re feeling overwhelmed or distressed
How to tell whether you have a problem
There are lots of signs that a person’s substance use may be a problem. Here are some of the most common:
- You’ve been using more of a substance, and for a longer time, than you meant to
- You’ve developed a tolerance for a substance, so you need more and more for the same effect
- You’ve tried to cut down or stop using the substance, but haven’t been able to
- You spend a lot of time getting a substance and then recovering from using it
- You keep using the substance, even when it’s causing a strain on your relationships or putting you in dangerous situations
- You’ve given up some of the things you love because of your substance use
- When you don’t use the substance, you have unpleasant symptoms that are relieved by using more
These are some of the behaviors you, or your friends and family, may notice if you’re experiencing SUD:
- Confusion
- Forgetting to eat
- Withdrawing from your relationships
- Losing interest in your physical appearance
- Mood changes
- Anger or hostility if someone tries to talk to you about your substance use
- Being secretive to hide your substance use
Getting help for substance abuse disorder
If you think you may be experiencing SUD, it’s important to reach out for help. SUD is hard to manage on your own, but your healthcare provider, a therapist, or a psychiatrist can help.
SUD is a chronic condition that needs ongoing care, and care is unique for each person. Sometimes, in addition to care for SUD, people benefit from treatment for other underlying mental health conditions.
Treatments for SUD include:
- Help to stop taking substances and clear them out of your body
- Therapy to find coping strategies and help you address any underlying mental health conditions
- Support from a self-help group, such as Alcoholics Anonymous
- Medication to help address the brain chemistry of substance use disorder and ease cravings and withdrawal. There are medications to help people stop using opioids, alcohol, and tobacco.
Reviewed by the Ovia Health Clinical Team
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Sources:
- Chapman, Shawna L. Carroll and Wu, Li-Tzy. Postpartum Substance Use and Depressive Symptoms: A Review. Women Health. 2013 Jul; 53(5): 479–503. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3742364/
- Cleveland Clinic. Substance Use Disorder (SUD). https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/16652-drug-addiction-substance-use-disorder-sud
