Many who suffer with a drug or alcohol use problem often fly under the radar because they don’t meet certain criteria that would label them: ADDICT. Recently Harvard Medical School released another installment of their “Almost Effect” series that discusses health situations that fall between normal and full-blown problems. The latest is called “Almost Addicted: Is My (or My Loved One’s) Drug Use a Problem?”
How do you recognize drug or alcohol use that has become problematic but hasn’t reached the diagnostic criteria for addiction? How do you know when to seek help? Dr. J. Wesley Boyd says, that “to qualify as an almost addiction, a behavior must fall outside of what is considered normal, but, at the same time, not meet criteria for a DSM diagnosis; that it’s causing identifiable problems; that it might progress to a full-blown condition or, at least, cause substantial suffering; that an intervention should be able to help; and that stopping the behavior will improve quality of life. The benefit of identifying drug-using behavior as “almost addicted,” is that it offers an opportunity to stop and turn your life around before a problem progresses into full addiction, which is much more difficult to treat.” (Psych Central)
Dr. Boyd notes that it is especially difficult to notice “almost addiction” in successful people, who often don’t seem like the “stereotypical addict” (unemployable, unkept, etc.). Regardless of what criteria can be checked off and when, it’s important to remember that addiction and its warning signs can be different for each individual. Relationship difficulties, legal problems, trouble at work or school, increased frequency of use, obsessing over drug or alcohol use, and continuing to use despite negative consequences are all warning signs that drug of alcohol use is becoming more problematic.
If you recognize any of these warning signs in yourself, contact a professional to help you address the problem early. If you are trying to help a loved one, you can stop enabling the behavior even if you can’t force them into treatment. There are also intervention tactics that can be used to create a false rock bottom as a way to invite treatment before things get really bad. Reach out to an addiction specialist for guidance.
