Changing your relationship with alcohol or drugs can feel daunting, but you don’t have to hit rock bottom to get help. Support is available wherever you’re starting from.
Whether you’re worried about drinking, cannabis, prescription medications, stimulants or opioids—or you’re not yet sure whether there’s a problem—substance use can affect your health, work and relationships in ways that are hard to see from the inside.
At Calmora, we offer respectful, non-judgmental care. We meet you where you are, whether your goal is abstinence, cutting back or reducing risk, and we treat the anxiety, depression or trauma that often sits underneath.
What is a substance use disorder?
A substance use disorder (SUD) is a treatable health condition in which using alcohol or drugs continues despite causing problems. Signs can include cravings, needing more to feel the same effect, withdrawal symptoms, and spending more time using or recovering than you intended. It ranges from mild to severe.
SUD is not a moral failing. Genetics, stress, trauma, mental health and environment all play a role, and many people use substances to cope with feelings that otherwise seem unmanageable. Recovery rarely follows a straight line, and setbacks are part of the process rather than a reason for shame.
Our care combines approaches such as motivational interviewing, CBT and DBT skills with psychiatric support, including medication for alcohol or opioid use disorder where appropriate.
When to seek help for substance use
Noticing the signs and knowing when support can help
It may help to reach out if you’ve tried to cut down without success, if you’re using to manage stress, sleep or difficult emotions, if people close to you have voiced concern, or if your use is affecting your health, work or safety. If you have withdrawal symptoms, please speak with a medical provider before stopping suddenly, especially with alcohol or sedatives.
In an emergency or suspected overdose, call 911. A free 15-minute consultation can help you explore your options.
Types of substance use disorders
Alcohol Use Disorder (AUD)
Alcohol use disorder involves drinking that is hard to control and continues despite its impact on health, relationships or work. It can develop gradually and be easy to overlook. Therapy, peer support and medications such as naltrexone or acamprosate can all help, depending on your goals.
Cannabis Use Disorder
Cannabis use disorder can develop when use becomes daily or near-daily and starts to affect motivation, memory, mood or sleep. Many people use cannabis to manage anxiety or insomnia. We help you understand what it does for you and find other ways to meet those needs.
Opioid Use Disorder (OUD)
Opioid use disorder can involve prescription painkillers, heroin or fentanyl. Medications such as buprenorphine and methadone are highly effective and lower the risk of overdose. We support you alongside medical treatment and share harm-reduction information, including how to carry naloxone.
Stimulant Use Disorder
Stimulant use disorder includes cocaine, methamphetamine and misuse of prescription stimulants. Use can bring cycles of intense energy followed by crashes, anxiety and low mood. Behavioral therapies such as CBT and contingency management are the best-supported treatments.
Sedative Use Disorder
Sedative use disorder involves medications such as benzodiazepines or sleeping pills, often first prescribed for anxiety or insomnia. Because stopping suddenly can be dangerous, our psychiatrists can help plan a gradual, medically supervised taper while therapy addresses the original concerns.
Co-occurring Disorders
Substance use often occurs alongside anxiety, depression, ADHD, trauma or bipolar disorder. Integrated care that addresses both at the same time is generally recommended, so our therapists and psychiatrists work together on one plan that looks at the whole picture.
