Recognizing signs of substance use disorder

Most people use substances of some kind at some point in their lives, whether it’s alcohol at a celebration, prescription medicine after surgery, or nicotine to cope with stress. While substance use remains limited for many people, it can be harder to control for others and may turn into a substance use disorder.

Substance use disorders are chronic health conditions, not a personal failure. Learning what it looks like (and knowing the early signs) can help you take action before use begins to harm your health, relationships, or daily life.

What is substance use disorder?

Substance use disorders affect people of all ages and backgrounds. They may involve:

Alcohol
Tobacco
Prescription drugs
Illegal drugs

A disorder can happen when repeated substance use changes how the brain works. Over time, a person may feel strong urges to use, need more of the substance to get the same effect, or feel unwell when trying to stop. What often starts as casual use can slowly turn into dependence.

In the United States, about 17% of people ages 12+ had a substance use disorder in 2023 — that’s nearly 1 in 6 Americans. Yet most people with a substance use disorder don’t get treatment, often because they don’t realize they have a problem or feel unsure about asking for help.

Substance use disorders can affect both physical and mental health. They can raise the risk of injury, chronic disease, anxiety, and depression — not to mention strain relationships and make daily life harder to manage.

How can you tell if substance use is a problem?

There’s no single test that says, “This is substance use disorder.” Instead, it’s about noticing patterns and changes over time. You might want to take a closer look if you notice any of the following signs of substance use disorder in yourself or someone you care about.

Changes in control

Feeling like you need the substance to function or feel “normal”
Using more often or in larger amounts than planned
Trying to cut back or stop, but not being able to

Changes in daily life

Spending a lot of time getting, using, or recovering from the substance
Skipping work, school, or activities you once enjoyed
Pulling away from family or friends

Physical and emotional signs

Needing more of the substance to get the same effect (higher tolerance)
Feeling sick when you don’t use, including nausea, sweating, shaking, or body aches (withdrawal)
Using substances to cope with stress, sadness, anxiety, or sleep problems

If any of these feel familiar, it doesn’t mean something is “wrong” with you. It means your body and brain may need support.

IBX is here to support you

We know reaching out for help can feel overwhelming. But Independence Blue Cross (IBX) members are not alone. Substance use disorder treatment isn’t one-size-fits-all, and we can help you find an in-network provider and build a treatment plan that works for your specific needs and goals.

Call our Behavioral Health Care Navigation team at 1-800-688-1911, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 6 p.m. to talk to someone who can help. Our team can guide you to the right in-network care and can even schedule an appointment for you within 48 hours.

Visit ibx.com/bhcare to learn more about our behavioral health benefits, provider network, and care navigation team.

Substance use disorders are medical conditions, and recovery is possible. Noticing the signs early and asking for help can protect your health and open the door to change.

If you or someone you know needs immediate help, call or text 988 to reach the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline for free, confidential support.