Talk with Your Doctor About Drug Misuse

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 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.

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.

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 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 drug addiction is to not misuse drugs. It’s especially important to not misuse drugs if you’re pregnant or trying to get pregnant.

Remember, prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines can be addictive, 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 less addictive pain medicine you can try.

How is drug addiction treated?

There’s no cure for drug addiction — but there are effective treatments that can help you manage it. It can be treated with medicine, talk therapy, or both.

Treatment options depend on which drugs you’re misusing. You can get treatment for drug addiction 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 drug addiction.

Medicines for drug addiction

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

If you’re addicted to opioids — including heroin or prescription opioid pain medicines — doctors can prescribe medicines to help you stay off drugs. 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 addiction.

Therapy for drug addiction

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