Substances can be how you get through the day.
Some people notice it as needing a drink, a smoke or a pill before they can unwind.
Others notice it afterward, with regret, memory gaps or a promise to cut back.
Some only notice it when someone they love says they’re worried.
Maybe you feel:
- defensive
- relieved
- restless
- secretive
Reaching for substances can be a way of seeking relief or safety.
Your use often makes sense once you see what it’s helping you carry.
What is Substance Use?
Substance use is using alcohol, cannabis, nicotine, medications or drugs to change how you feel.
It ranges from occasional use to daily use that is hard to control, with many levels in between.
Substance use is often a way to find relief, connection or calm when those feel out of reach.
It can look different across cultures and communities.
Many people go through seasons when they use more to cope, especially during stress or loss.
Use can become a concern in different ways, from heavy social drinking to using alone in secret.
Your use can give you something and cost you something at the same time.
Signs and Symptoms of Substance Use Concerns
Physical
- cravings
- needing more
- shakiness without it
- trouble sleeping
Mental
- hard-to-control urges
- planning around using
- promising to cut back
- tracking how much
Emotional
- guilt
- irritability without it
- numbness
- relief when using
Social
- downplaying use
- hiding use
- missing commitments
- using alone
What Causes Substance Use Concerns?
Substance use concerns often grow from a mix of what you feel and what’s around you:
- Your body: ADHD, anxiety, genetics, pain or sleep problems can make substances feel more helpful.
- Your experiences: grief, loss, ongoing stress or trauma can make relief feel urgent.
- Your relationships: growing up around use, loneliness or friends who use can make it part of daily life.
- Your world: easy access, isolation, poverty and stigma can make using easier than getting help.
Each time a substance brings relief, your body learns to reach for it again, even as the costs grow.
Your use is a response to something real in your life.
Substance Use and Your Nervous System
Substances can quickly shift your nervous system, turning your alarm down or your energy up.
You might feel your shoulders drop as soon as it kicks in, or a rush that pushes tiredness away.
Your sense of what's happening inside your body travels largely through your vagus nerve.
About 80% of its fibers carry signals from your organs to your brain, so you can sense your inner state.
When those inner signals feel unbearable, turning them down is a way of protecting yourself.
As your body finds other ways to feel safe, it may need substances less.
Substance Use and Trauma
What if using is tangled with what your body still remembers?
After trauma, you might feel on edge, numb or overwhelmed.
Substances can soften reminders, like nightmares, flashbacks or feelings that come unexpectedly.
Using can also lead to more harm, like unsafe situations, judgment or losing people you love.
That's part of why using can feel like the problem and the only relief.
Substance use after trauma can look like using to sleep, using before hard talks or using to feel nothing.
Each of these once helped you get through something difficult.
With enough safety, relief can come from more places than one.
Ways to Care for Yourself
Honor the need
Notice what using gives you, like calm, relief, rest or connection. Your needs are real and they matter.
Be kind
Whether you're using, cutting back or somewhere in between, meet yourself with kindness and care.
Stay connected
Text, call or spend time with people who accept you. You can also spend time in nature or with pets.
Stay safe
If you use, try not to use alone, and keep naloxone close by. Your safety matters, every single day.
When to Get Help
You might tell yourself you can stop any time, or it’s not that bad.
But using to cope can cost more than it gives.
It might be time to reach out if substance use:
- is hard to cut back on
- is how you cope with feelings
- takes more to feel the same effect
- worries people around you
You don't need a diagnosis or a commitment to abstinence to access support.
When you feel nothing, it’s time to get help.
Therapy can help you understand your use, without judgment or shame.
Questions About Substance Use
Why do I use when I’m stressed?
Why do I feel worse when I stop?
Why do I hide how much I use?
Can trauma lead to substance use?
When does use become a problem?
What is harm reduction?
Do I have to quit to get help?
What do I do if someone is overdosing?
Resources for Substance Use in Alberta
If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.
If you’re in crisis, call or text 988 any time, day or night. For more crisis lines across Alberta, visit our crisis support page.
Support Lines
- Mental Health Helpline: 1-877-303-2642. Free support and referrals for anyone in Alberta, 24/7.
- 211 Alberta: Call or text 211, or chat online, to find local mental health services and community supports.
- Addiction Helpline: 1-866-332-2322. Free, confidential support and referrals for substance use and gambling, 24/7.
Learn and Practice
- Canadian Centre on Substance Use and Addiction: Read Canada's guidance on alcohol and health.
- MyHealth Alberta: Find ways to help someone you care about with substance use or gambling.
- Recovery Alberta: Find a free naloxone kit at more than 2,000 sites, including pharmacies.
Related Topics in This Library
Concerns
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