Substance Abuse Signs and Shame: How do I know I need help?
Many times it’s hard to see your life in a realistic light. You’re either too hard on yourself, constantly practicing shame and hiding things, or you have blind spots that only those close to you see. As you probably know; signs of substance abuse and mental illness can be assessed and screened at the office of a mental health provider or your doctor. But. just in case you’re feeling like hiding (shame), you can do this incognito. Help yourself. Complete one of the below self-screens and start your path to recovery today.
Easy Screens for Substance Abuse danger Signs
For alcohol, CAGE is a well-known self-screen. The acronym stands for Cut Down, Annoyed, Guilty and Eye Opener. Have you tried to cut down use and failed? Are you annoyed when people criticize you for your drinking? Have you ever felt guilty about drinking? Have you needed a drink first thing in the morning to steady your nerves or get rid of a hangover? If you score 4, yes for each question, I would advise you to continue with self-awareness. What steps are you willing to take to reduce the harm?
SSI-AOD is a sixteen question self-screen for both alcohol and substance use disorders which will take a few minutes to complete. You can following the link to phenxtoolkit.org below or google the site and find the simple screening instrument of Health and Human Services.
SAMHSA Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Association offers comprehensive information on substance abuse. For screening, brief intervention and referral for treatment, online information is available on this SAMHSA page https://www.samhsa.gov/sbirt. Or you can call SAMHSA’s toll-free helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357), or send your zip code via text message: 435748 (HELP4U) to find help near you.
Once you’ve taken these screens, especially the SSI-AOD, you may realize that you need to take action before things get more serious. Early treatment will reduce the intensity and duration in your steps to recovery. Think of early diagnosis of any disease; when you catch things before they spin out of control you will get better results and best of all the peace of mind that comes with taking care of yourself.
Still feeling uncertain about your next step. Please feel free to call Tania at 720-577-5985 or schedule a free 15 minute consult today.
