Most people start taking drugs casually, then end up as addicts. Addiction is the state whereby your body starts depending on the drugs. When you are an addict, your brain fails to function normally. You will also experience withdrawal symptoms when you do not take the drugs. Besides health problems, addiction causes issues with your career, family, and finance management. Alcoholism and drug addiction are more of a disease. Such is because your body reacts to the drugs and how the addiction progresses.
Due to the medical issues caused by addiction, people keep asking if addiction is a disability. Classifying addiction as a disability means that your employer should not take action against you because of drug abuse. It is illegal for your employer to take action against you because of drug addiction. However, this does not give you the right to get drunk and misbehave at work. It would be best to understand that being an addict is a disability, and you need to seek medical attention. Below are some of the things to know as to whether addiction is a disability.
What Is Disability?
Disability is the impairment of the body or mind, making it hard to carry out regular activities. Disability surrounds physical, psychological, and mental conditions. Addiction is substance dependency, and it is a disability. Addiction to drugs and substances fall under the category of disabilities if:
- You abuse drugs and substances and fail to fulfill your obligation at work.
- You persistently abuse drugs and substances despite social, legal, and family problems when you are under the influence of the drugs.
- You abuse drugs and substances in physically hazardous situations.
- You developed long-term health problems due to drug and alcohol addiction in the past, and you are no longer an addict
Drug addiction causes or worsens symptoms of mental disorders. If you have underlying mental disorders, you are at high risk of developing addiction disorders. When you have mental illnesses like anxiety, hallucination, and depression, you may develop substance use disorder as you seek comfort in drugs. Also, the addiction might be through drugs that ease pain, and later on, you develop dependency.
Disability Benefits
Once you understand what disabilities are, you need to know about the disability benefits. Through the social security disability, the government offers help for people with disabilities. For an addict to get the benefits of people with disabilities, you need to meet specific criteria. First, they need to prove if you are a drug addict. A mental health professional diagnoses drug addiction. Blood tests will show how much drug is in your system, but they will not reveal the dependence. Drug addiction diagnosis starts with you, a family member, or a friend. You have to raise the alarm after noticing some addiction symptoms. The doctor will first inquire about the pattern of drug use to know if the signs of drug addiction match with your answers. Here are some signs of addiction:
- You keep using the drug even when you want to stop
- You crave for the drug regularly
- You spend money on the drug and forego other financial responsibilities.
- You develop a belief that you need the drug to solve your daily challenges
- You use the drug and drive or do other activities even when you know it is dangerous
- You keep using the drug even after it has caused physical injuries
- You react angrily when someone questions your persistent use of drugs
Drug addiction leads to health problems. When you develop health problems as an alcoholic and the issues remain with you even when you stop drinking, you will be eligible for disability benefits. If your addiction causes disabilities that will go away when you stop drug abuse, the social security disability will not help you. Generally, you will enjoy the disability benefits if your addiction has led to long-term effects. Some of the long-term disabilities caused by addiction include:
- Blindness caused by alcohol abuse
- Cardiovascular damages
- Depression and anxiety
- Kidney damages
- Liver damages
- Panic disorders
- Hepatitis
Long-term use of drugs causes addiction and dependency. It results in substance use disorder, which is a disability. Substance use disorders are a range of health problems resulting from drug and substance addiction. If you have substance use disorders, you might have many questions on recovering from addiction. Treatment of drug addiction includes withdrawal therapy, physical therapy, and psychological therapy. If you are ready to start your addiction recovery journey, contact us today at 833-846-5669.