Signs that you may be self-medicating/avoiding include:

You turn to alcohol or drugs, the avoidance activity as a ‘reward’ or when you are feeling bored, anxious, stressed, or depressed. Many of us have used substances/avoidance/escape to cope with occasional bad news, such as the loss of a job or the breakup of a relationship, but if you are regularly drinking, using drugs or using escape activities to cope with stress, relieve boredom, improve how you feel, or to steel yourself for a social engagement, for example, then there is a strong possibility you are self-medicating/avoiding.

Drugs and alcohol can make you feel ‘better’ but you will perform worse. Drugs and alcohol tend to be temporary fixes. Self-medicating/avoidance can: impact on: how well you sleep;  your energy levels; your performance in all area of life; and, make you more susceptible to illnesses. Your mood and emotional well-being will also suffer as you get trapped in a downward spiral of increased substance use and avoidance.

It will typically take more and more self-medicating to gain relief. Where once it took just one or two drinks/pills to ease your anxiety or de-stress at the end of the day, now it takes three, four, or even more. You will begin to rely on the substance to get you through your week and having an increased tolerance means that you need more alcohol or drugs to experience the same effects. As you continue to self-medicate, your tolerance will continue to increase, as will the problems caused by your increasing substance use. You can only break the cycle by finding healthier ways to deal with your problems.

You started using to cope with stress but if you continue using you will have health, relationship, and financial problems to cope with as well, and the stress will become even worse.

FACT: The more you self-medicate/avoid, the more problems created in your life.

You might worry when you do not have access to drugs or alcohol. Do you worry how you will cope with a social situation where alcohol won’t be available? Do you start to get anxious when your prescription runs out? Do you get restless waiting for payday so you can afford to restock the drinks cabinet or call your dealer?

FACT: The more uncomfortable you get at the thought of being separated from your substance/avoidance of choice, the more likely it is that you have a problem.

Your friends and family are most likely worried about you. Have people who care about you expressed their concern that you are not your usual self? Perhaps they have noted the changes in your personality, behaviour, or social life? Substance abuse/avoidance can negatively affect those around you just as much as it affects you. It is easy to dismiss others’ concerns or pretend that everything is okay. But it takes great strength to listen to your loved ones’ fears and recognize when your substance use has become a problem.

Learning to face what you are avoiding

There are reasons that you are self-medicating/avoiding, and that means that there are solutions. ‘You’ currently, cannot think of a way out. That is why you see us; highly trained professionals who can help you to identify the reasons and find practical solutions.