Substance Tolerance – also known as drug tolerance – is a state that can become very damaging and cause a range of problems to develop.
Substance tolerance refers to the situation where a person’s body gets used to a substance over a period of time, resulting in the drug not having the same impact it once did. This causes several issues.
Substance tolerance is a common symptom of Substance-Related Disorders, and is also linked to other mental health conditions.
What is Substance Tolerance?
Substance tolerance refers to the process where the body gets used to a substance over a period of time – sometimes weeks, and sometimes months.
Because of this, the person needs to take higher doses of the substance in order to experience the same effects. Taking a higher and higher dose becomes a negative cycle.
Tolerance is associated with addiction. It can become very dangerous, and causes a range of physical and psychological problems.
As an example, someone who is prescribed Diazepam at 5mg/day may after a couple of weeks feel that the medicine is not having the same impact that it originally did. Therefore, they start taking the medicine at a higher dose to achieve the effect. At this point, they’ve reached a state of tolerance.
Symptoms of Substance Tolerance
The following are possible symptoms of substance tolerance:
- Having urges to take the medicine throughout the day
- Needing more of the substance to get the same effect/high
- Consuming high amounts of the substance
- Agitation and aggression
- Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when trying to stop taking the drug
- Risky behaviour
- Poor work or school attendance
What substances can lead to Substance Tolerance?
There are ten classes of substances that are typically associated with substance-related disorders:
- Alcohol
- Amphetamines/Stimulants
- Cocaine
- Cannabis
- Inhalants
- Opioids
- Phencyclidine/Hallucinogens
- Sedatives, Hypnotics and Anxiolytics
- Tobacco
- Other (e.g., caffeine, anabolic steroids)
The above classes can vary in terms of their impact on humans. But the above substances activate the brain’s reward system – resulting in the feeling of pleasure.
The vicious cycle
Substance tolerance is associated with other substance-related issues like addiction, dependence and withdrawal.
The four areas mentioned above are connected to one another. For example, when a person starts to take a substance that is addictive – as discussed above – a tolerance can develop.
As already covered, tolerance can create a range of problems. A person will eventually become dependent on the substance, and feel that they are unable to stop taking it.
When they do eventually stop taking the substance, they may develop withdrawal symptoms – making it incredibly difficult to stop taking it completely.
Subsequently, addiction can worsen. Therefore, tolerance plays a role in a vicious cycle. Mental health and physical health problems are also closely linked.
How is Substance Tolerance treated?
Substance dependence is a common symptom of Substance-Related Disorders. You can read about treatment for this condition here.
A form of talking therapy is normally advised for the treatment of substance dependence. Receiving treatment for this state is vital.
Among the popular types of talking therapy for substance-related disorders include cognitive behavioural therapy, family therapy and therapeutic communities. However, a range of other types of therapy exist.
Summary
In conclusion, substance tolerance represents a big problem. If a person does not get treatment, the tolerance can worsen, resulting in the development of a serious disorder.
Therefore, seeking treatment is very important. By getting treatment, it is possible for a person to see an improvement in their wellbeing and overall health.
See Also
- Everything You Need to Know About Withdrawing from Mental Health Medicine
- What Is The Difference Between Dependence, Tolerance, Addiction and Withdrawal?
- What is Substance Addiction? Information, Symptoms and Treatment
- What is Substance Tolerance? Information, Symptoms and Treatment
- What is Substance Dependence? Information, Symptoms and Treatment
- What is Substance Withdrawal? Information, Symptoms and Treatment
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