Talk with Your Doctor About Drug Misuse and Substance Use Disorder

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, or using them differently than you’re supposed to

Misusing drugs can lead to substance use disorder. Substance use disorder is a mental health condition that affects millions of people in the United States every year.

The good news is that you can get treatment for drug misuse and substance use disorder. Getting help is the best thing you can do for yourself and your loved ones.

Substance use disorder is when a person continues to use drugs despite negative effects on their health, activities, and relationships. Having substance use disorder makes it very hard for a person to stop using drugs.

Using drugs affects 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.

Substance use disorder is a chronic disease — it may never go away completely. People with substance use disorder who stop taking drugs can relapse (start taking drugs again) along the road to recovery. But treatment can help them manage substance use disorder and live a longer, healthier life.

How can I tell if I’m at risk for substance use disorder?

Any amount of drug misuse can put you at risk for substance use disorder. Some drugs are more addictive (more likely to lead to misuse or substance use disorder)  than other drugs. And some people develop substance use disorder more easily than other people. But it’s impossible to know who will develop substance use disorder and who won’t.

You may have substance use disorder if you misuse drugs and 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 substance use disorder. If you think you might have a substance use disorder, it’s important to see a doctor right away.

What could happen if I misuse drugs?

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 have a substance use disorder 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, as well as illegal drugs like heroin and fentanyl. 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 STIs (sexually transmitted infections), also called STDs (sexually transmitted diseases)

Drug misuse can also put you at risk for injury and violence.

Learn more about different drugs and their health risks.

The easiest way to prevent substance use disorder is to not misuse drugs. It’s especially important to not misuse drugs if you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

Remember, some prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can lead to substance use disorder, too. If you take medicine for a health condition, learn how to use medicines safely.

What if my doctor prescribes an addictive medicine?

Some prescription medicines — for example, opioid pain medicines like OxyContin or Vicodin — are very addictive. If your doctor prescribes opioids, ask about the risks and benefits. There may be a pain medicine with a lower risk of leading to substance use disorder you can try.

How is substance use disorder treated?

There’s no cure for substance use disorder — but there are effective treatments that can help you manage it. You can manage substance use disorder with medicine, talk therapy, or both.

Treatment options depend on which drugs you’re misusing — and if you use other substances, like alcohol or tobacco, too. You can get treatment for substance use disorder at a hospital or rehab center where you stay overnight — or you can get treatment during the day while you’re living at home.

Learn more about treatment for substance use disorder.

Medicines for substance use disorder

Doctors can prescribe medicines to ease symptoms of withdrawal (feeling sick when you stop taking certain drugs).

If you misuse opioids — like fentanyl or prescription opioid pain medicines — doctors can prescribe medicines to help you stop taking them. Some of these medicines work by reducing cravings, and some work by blocking the high you get from the drug.

Learn about medicines to treat opioid use disorder.

Therapy for substance use disorder

A type of therapy called behavioral therapy can help you learn healthy ways to cope with stress and challenges in your life. Therapy can be useful to help you stay in treatment and avoid misusing drugs.