The line between social drinking or recreational drug use and self-medication can be difficult to recognize. In fact, self-medication is culturally accepted and even encouraged. It’s common to hear the words, “I need a drink,” after someone experiences a stressful day. The idea of using alcohol or drugs to mask feelings or to treat symptoms feels normal. You may even think this is what everyone does. However, there are a few signs that regular alcohol or drug use is turning into self-medication.The first is the reason you’re using it. Social or recreational drug use is usually done to achieve a pleasurable high or to bond with other people. But your motivation for self-medication is likely to feel better, to numb your mind to painful memories, or to distract yourself from problems.As you start to develop a substance use disorder, you may start to use drugs just to feel normal, not even to feel better. When you develop a chemical dependence, you’ll experience uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms if you miss a dose or try to cut back. You’ll need to use drugs just to stave off these symptoms.Another common sign is a growing tolerance. Tolerance builds as your brain and body get used to the drug. You’ll notice that the same dose or the same number of drinks no longer have the same effects that they once did. You may feel the need to take high doses to compensate. You may also need to use more often, which means spending more time seeking drugs, getting high, and recovering.For alcoholism, a telltale sign of tolerance is the need to drink early in the morning. If you’re chemically dependent, drinks from the night before may start wearing off and causing withdrawal symptoms in the morning.Other signs can include emotional issues like a growing sense of shame, hopelessness, and irritability. You may try to hide drug or alcohol use from loved ones. You may also use more of a drug than you intend to and feel that your substance misuse is getting out of control. Eventually, self-medication can turn into a substance use disorder, which only further complicates your PTSD.Ultimately, self-medication just makes PTSD worse. For one thing, it adds a substance use problem to the issues that you’re already dealing with. Addiction tends to take over your life, affecting your health, finances, relationships, and even your legal standing.Addiction, depending on the specific drug, can make common symptoms of PTSD worse. For instance, insomnia is a common problem associated with PTSD, but many substances can cause sleep disturbances or insomnia as a side effect or a symptom of withdrawal. Even depressants can disrupt sleep. Alcohol is known to make people feel sleepy, but it can also prevent or disrupt REM sleep, making the sleep you do get less restful.It’s clear that PTSD can lead to drug misuse as a coping mechanism. A severe substance use problem can also increase your risk of experiencing traumatic events. People in active addiction are more likely to become the victim of crimes, including assault and sexual assault, which can lead to trauma.