Substance addiction can change a person’s behavior, making even the best-behaved person act in ways that are hard to recognize. Addiction can change how a person views the world and themselves and greatly affect their ability to make good decisions. Seeing your loved one go through substance addiction is incredibly hard, as you may not recognize the person who is taking certain actions.
Sometimes your loved one’s actions are harmful to their overall health and well-being. This is often because substance addiction lowers inhibitions and hampers critical thinking skills, which leads to behavior that can be harmful. People experiencing addiction often take risky actions, including risky sexual behaviors. When people engage in risky sexual behavior, they are putting themselves and others in harm’s way. Understanding addiction and the behaviors that arise from it is integral to treating the behavior and the underlying disorders.
The Effects of Substance Use Disorder
The National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) describes substance use disorder (SUD) as “a treatable mental disorder that affects a person’s brain and behavior, leading to their inability to control their use of substances like legal or illegal drugs, alcohol, or medications. Symptoms can be moderate to severe, with addiction being the most severe form of SUD.” In other words, SUD is a disorder that causes great distress in one’s life. Fortunately, it can be remedied by seeking professional treatment.
SUD often co-occurs with other disorders, especially mental health disorders. This combination can cause greater struggles for the individual and lead to a harder time receiving effective treatment. If you suspect your daughter is struggling with SUD and a co-occurring disorder, getting treatment as quickly as possible is important. It’s also important to find a facility that specializes in co-occurring disorders.
Clearview addresses emotional issues as well as substance abuse in teens. Our students work through a program designed to get them back on track, emotionally as well as academically. If left untreated, SUD can cause outcomes that can significantly affect a person’s life.
Substance Use and Its Affect on the Brain
When using substances, the area of one’s brain that controls inhibition is affected. Lowered inhibition can lead to actions that are unhealthy or unsafe. When a person doesn’t have control over their actions, they can react in ways that don’t align with their values or personality. Substance use affects all areas of the brain and can affect schoolwork and employment as well.
Substance Addiction Leads to Risky Behavior
As mentioned before, the lack of or lowered inhibition in the brain from addiction may lead to someone engaging in risky behavior. This happens because addiction and substance use affect the areas of our brain that control behavior and can make someone lose control. Risky behavior is anything that puts someone in harm’s way or affects their daily lives. These behaviors can include things like overspending and being irresponsible with money. It can also include out-of-control gambling. Another common behavior that can arise in teens is risky sexual behavior.
The Consequences of Risky Sexual Behavior
Risky sexual behavior includes any sexual actions taken that pose a risk of danger to the parties engaging in it. This can include engaging in unprotected sex. It can also include engaging in sexual behavior in unsafe environments or with unsafe people.
Needless to say, risky sexual behavior can lead to many unwanted consequences. There is the possibility of disease or infection as well as the risk of unplanned pregnancy. Some sexually transmitted infections can deeply affect the health of the body and mind.
Sexual behavior should be discussed with caretakers and treatment teams in order to work toward a more healthy set of actions and attitudes. When there is care and thought behind a girl’s decisions, this lowers the risk to her and others. However, to change these behaviors, one must address the underlying addiction and mental health issues.
Working to Stop Substance Addiction
Intervening as soon as you notice the problem can ensure successful treatment. At Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, we offer various types of therapy that can address your daughter’s addiction and mental health issues. We provide a safe, caring, and structured environment that helps our students to work through their underlying issues.
It is important that students work alongside their care team and parents or guardians. Working together is the best way to address the underlying issues, establish clear boundaries, and achieve goals.
SUD is a treatable disorder that can be put into remission by effective interventions. The behaviors that are often closely tied to substance addiction can be addressed by identifying the mental and emotional issues causing them. Additionally, treatment aims at detoxification and eradicating the cravings related to addictive behavior. At Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, we work to understand what is going on at a deeper level and address every part of the picture. We know that this approach increases the chances of long-term success.
The struggles that come from substance use disorder (SUD) can affect every part of your daughter’s life. Substance addiction can lower your daughter’s inhibitions and cause her to lose control of her actions. This lack of inhibition can lead to risky behavior which can harm your daughter and those around her. These behaviors can negatively affect every part of her life. Intervening as quickly as possible is the key to getting things back on track. At Clearview Horizon Girls Academy, we offer a variety of evidence-based approaches to SUD and mental health concerns. Our caring staff members can help your daughter regain control of her health and her actions. For more information, please contact us at 866-584-4788 today.
