Conceptos básicos: Descripción general

Si te preocupa tu consumo de drogas, habla con un médico para que te ayude.

¿Qué es el abuso de drogas?

El abuso de drogas incluye:

• Consumir drogas ilegales, como heroína o cocaína.
• 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.

The Basics: What is Substance Use Disorder?

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.

Aprende más sobre cómo afectan las drogas al cerebro..

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.

Lo básico: ¿Estoy en riesgo?

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:

• No puedes controlar con qué frecuencia consumes drogas.
• El consumo de drogas causa problemas en tus relaciones, en la escuela o en el trabajo.
• Te sientes ansioso, estresado o enfermo cuando no consumes drogas.

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?

Los riesgos pueden depender del tipo de drogas que se consuman indebidamente.

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.

El abuso de drogas también puede aumentar el riesgo de padecer muchos otros problemas de salud, entre ellos:

• Cardiopatía
• Hepatitis
• El VIH y otras ITS (infecciones de transmisión sexual), también llamadas ETS (enfermedades de transmisión sexual).

El abuso de drogas también puede ponerte en riesgo de sufrir lesiones y violencia.

Obtén más información sobre diferentes medicamentos. y sus riesgos para la salud.

Lo básico: Prevención

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, Aprende a usar los medicamentos de forma segura..

¿Qué ocurre si mi médico me receta un medicamento adictivo?

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.

Lo básico: Tratamiento

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

Los médicos pueden recetar medicamentos para aliviar los síntomas de abstinencia (la sensación de malestar que se experimenta al dejar de tomar ciertos fármacos).

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.

Toma medidas: Consulta a un médico.

Substance use disorder is a disease, and people who have it need treatment just like people with any other disease. If you’re worried about drug misuse or substance use disorder, tell your doctor.

Habla con un médico sobre lo que está sucediendo.

Get a medical checkup. Ask to see a doctor or nurse who can screen you for substance use disorder.

The doctor or nurse may also check to see if you have any other health conditions (like depression) that can make it harder to stop misusing drugs. Getting help for other health problems can make it easier for you to treat your substance use disorder.

Si te has inyectado drogas, habla con tu médico o enfermero sobre la posibilidad de hacerte la prueba del VIH y la hepatitis. Inyectarse drogas puede aumentar el riesgo de contraer estas enfermedades.

Actúa: Busca tratamiento

Get treatment for substance use disorder.

When you misuse drugs or have substance use disorder, getting help is the best thing you can do.

Puede:

• Ask your doctor for a referral to a substance use disorder specialist or treatment program
• Encuentra un médico o programa de tratamiento cerca de ti
• Llame al 1-800-662-HELP (1-800-662-4357) para obtener información sobre el tratamiento.

Y si un tipo de tratamiento no te funciona, puedes probar otro. ¡No te rindas!

Remember, substance use disorder is an illness — and having this illness isn’t your fault. Asking for help may seem scary, but it’s the first step toward getting your substance use disorder under control.

¿Y el costo?

Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance plans must cover mental health and substance use disorder treatment. Depending on your insurance plan, you may be able to get treatment at no cost to you. Check with your insurance company to find out more.

Medicare may also cover certain services related to substance use disorder at no cost. If you have Medicare, learn about Medicare coverage for mental health and substance use disorder services.

If you don’t have insurance, you may still be able to get free or low-cost mental health and substance use disorder treatment. Encuentra un centro de salud cerca de ti that offers mental health and substance use disorder treatment and make an appointment.

Actúa: Obtén apoyo

Get support for substance use disorder.

No tienes que afrontar tu problema de drogas solo. Pide a tus amigos y seres queridos que te apoyen mientras recibes tratamiento.

Los grupos de apoyo para personas con adicción a las drogas también pueden ayudarte a seguir tu plan de tratamiento. Learn more about support groups for mental health, drugs, or alcohol.

If someone you care about misuses drugs, get help.

If you think a friend or family member is misusing drugs, Consulta estos consejos sobre cómo hablar con un ser querido sobre el abuso de drogas..

Toma medidas: Prepárate para una sobredosis de opioides.

Consulte a su médico sobre los medicamentos para revertir una sobredosis.

If you misuse opioids, you’re at risk for an opioid overdose. While there’s no way to make misusing opioids safe for you, a medicine called naloxone may be able to reverse an overdose and save your life. Naloxone (often known by its brand name, Narcan) only works if you take it soon after an overdose. If you or someone you know misuses opioids, make sure you have naloxone on hand and know how to use it.

Doctors can prescribe naloxone to people who misuse opioids — but naloxone is also available over-the-counter.  Consider talking to your pharmacist or contacting your local health department to find out how to get free or low-cost naloxone.

Obtenga más información sobre el uso de la naloxona en caso de sobredosis..