Money and time spent on substance use can lead to neglect of other things, such as health, relationships, bills, hobbies, and responsibilities at home, at work, or at school. This can lead to unemployment, financial problems, lost relationships, and legal trouble.

Despite these problems, the person may continue using anyway. Going for long periods of time without the substance can feel pretty horrible (withdrawal). This, along with the stress from the problems the person is having , makes it very hard to cut back or stop using substances.

In addition to the stress caused by substance abuse, people in the grips of addiction often feel tremendous shame so much so that they may be in denial about their problems and/or they may not seek out the help they need for fear of judgment.