How to Know When It’s Time to Get Professional Help for Addiction

Last Updated:

July 9th, 2025

“How do I know when the time is right to ask for help?” “If I reach out for support, will someone be there for me?”

If you’ve experienced these kinds of thoughts, we know that the world can feel like a cold, lonely place, and help can seem beyond the grasp of your fingertips.

Recognising and admitting that professional support is needed for an addiction is not an easy task, but it may save your life.

The elusive line between substance use and addiction

One of the greatest challenges that stops people from recognising when help is needed is the elusive and often shifting borderline between substance use and addiction. For most people, knowing when it’s time to seek help is, sadly, not an easy task.

Substance use is, as it sounds, the action of using a substance for recreation or otherwise. A person may use a painkiller to numb a sore area of their body or use alcohol while on a date to calm their nerves. Both actions can be labelled as “substance use.”

Addiction, on the other hand, represents something different. An addiction is defined by the American Society of Addiction Medicine as “A treatable, chronic medical disease involving complex interactions among brain circuits, genetics, the environment and a person’s life experiences.”

Generally speaking, nobody tries a drug for the first time with the intention of becoming addicted. A drug or alcohol addiction operates in ominous silence without giving overt warning signs that things are getting worse.

The shifting line between substance use and addiction remains one of the biggest hindrances to recognising when help is needed. The barrier stops people from getting the help they need in rehab for addiction. Yet, thankfully, there are signs.

The signs that it’s time to get professional help

There may not be a “perfect” or “definite” time to seek help, but there are warning signs that may serve to suggest that now is as good a time as ever.

If you recognise one, multiple, or all of the below signs, the picture of a developing addiction may become clearer. These signs include:

Deteriorating physical health and withdrawal symptoms

One of the most straightforward signs will be physical manifestations that happen after repeated drug use. An alcohol or drug addiction will take a toll on your body and can cause more frequent illness, poor sleep habits and rapid weight changes. There may be physical withdrawal symptoms when you keep the substance out of your body for extended periods, such as shaking, sweating or nausea. The physical results of alcohol and drug addiction are just one aspect that suggests a problem is worsening.

Mental health instability

Aside from physical effects, addictions have the capacity to worsen your state of mind, which shouldn’t be overlooked. Most drug or alcohol addictions will worsen anxiety and cause depression, mood swings and emotional numbness. You might feel as though your thoughts are outside of your control or that you’re wrestling with an invisible force that causes blame, guilt, or despair. These mental health struggles are signs that your brain and body need care and healing.

Failed attempts to quit on your own

You might have tried to cut down, take a break, or stop using a substance altogether, but it feels like it never lasts. Repeated failed attempts to abstain are a sign that addiction is exerting significant control, but it doesn’t mean that you’ve failed. It means that you need structured, professional support to begin the recovery process in earnest.

Drug use to numb feelings

If you sit and truly reflect on what motivates substance use, you may find that it represents a form of escape, comfort or security. When that is the case, it becomes clearer that something deeper needs your attention. Relief from emotional pain is only temporary, and continued use may indeed become dangerous as tolerance increases and more of the substance is needed each time.

Loved ones are concerned

If you have had dear friends or family members express concerns, the signs may be clear that rehab for addiction is the best step to take. We often react in a knee-jerk way when someone suggests that we are using something dangerous as a form of pleasure. However, if you know the person expressing concern genuinely has your best interests at heart, it may be time to look for help.

How can I recognise addiction denial?

If you have ever battled with an addiction, you will know that denial can function as one of the most impenetrable defences that hold you back from getting the help you need and deserve.

Sometimes, denial is not as obvious as in a statement like “I don’t have a problem.” More often, it is more subtle, lurking in statements like “I could stop if I really wanted to” or “I’m still going to work, so it can’t be that bad.”

Denial of the truth becomes a defence mechanism, a type of shield that eventually serves to a person’s downfall. Denial feels like a protection from shame, pain or fear. For many people, it stands as the first and greatest hurdle that keeps them from healing.

Common signs of addiction denial and what they may sound like include:

Making excuses for repeated use: “It’s been a stressful week…”
Downplaying the frequency or quantity: “I only take it on ___ days…”
Shifting blame: “If ___ wasn’t so stressful, I wouldn’t need to…”
Hiding use or lying about it: “I don’t need to tell ___ about how often I take it…”
Becoming defensive when someone shows concern: “They’re trying to take away ___, which I love…”

The danger here is that denial is delaying treatment. The longer an addiction goes on, the deeper it lays its poisonous tendrils.

Also, it’s important to understand that you don’t need to hit rock bottom to ask for help. This is a common misconception that has stopped countless people from starting the recovery process in addiction rehab. Rock bottom may be the final, irreversible stage for some people, so make sure you aren’t waiting until a time comes when you are forced to ask for help.

Asking for help is an act of strength, not weakness

If you’ve ever felt that you hold yourself back from asking for help because you think it is a sign of weakness, then please know that you are not alone. This may be the greatest barrier that stops people from getting the help they deserve.

Reaching out is one of the strongest, most self-respecting actions you can take. Addiction doesn’t make you weak; we are all human. Each of us has our own coping mechanisms, some more harmful than others. Acknowledging that something isn’t right or isn’t working like you want it to may be the realisation you need to start healing.

Choosing to enter rehab or therapy means you’re ready to fight for a better tomorrow. Even if part of you is scared or uncertain, asking for help means you’re reclaiming your health, your peace of mind and your future. There is no shame in needing help. The tragedy lies in not getting help when it’s needed.

I’m ready, but how do I ask for help?

If you’ve recognised the signs and feel it might be time for professional help, don’t wait until things get worse. When you feel sure that you’re alone, please know that support is here.

At UKAT, we specialise in compassionate and tailored rehab for alcohol and drug addiction. Our programmes combine medical detox, expert therapy and lasting aftercare, giving you the tools to heal both body and mind.

Whether it’s your first time asking for help or you’re returning after relapse, we’ll meet you with understanding, not judgement.

You deserve a future free from addiction. And it all starts with one step. Get in touch with us today to start healing.

(Click here to see works cited)

“What Is the Definition of Addiction?” Default, www.asam.org/quality-care/definition-of-addiction