Recognizing the signs of addiction is the first step to getting help for yourself or guiding someone you care about to rehab. For this reason, it is critical to have an understanding of the signs of addiction. There are behavioral, physical, and psychological aspects of addiction.
Physical signs of addiction can manifest as side effects of use, during an overdose, or as a result of withdrawal. It may be very difficult for someone to pinpoint the cause of the physical signs, but severe effects will require immediate medical treatment. Also, it is important to understand that withdrawal symptoms arise when the body adjusts to the absence of familiar quantities of a drug. It is a natural process, but withdrawal can be dangerous.
Can You Recognize Signs of Addiction
Family members and loved ones are often key players in getting someone into rehab. Although there may be hindrances to lending help, such as denying the existence of the problem as a coping mechanism, witnessing the signs and symptoms of drug abuse will often motivate a concerned person to action. Also, when a person knows the particular drug of abuse, they can deepen their understanding of that drug and learn additional ways to help their loved one.
Heroin is a highly addictive drug and an overdose can prove fatal. For this reason, signs of heroin addiction should be taken seriously, and measures should be taken to stage an intervention or otherwise convince a loved one to join a rehab program.
Cocaine is best known in its white powder form. Most often, this drug is snorted, smoked, or injected. As cocaine is a stimulant, one of its hallmarks is that its main effects wear off around 30 minutes to 2 hours after the last use. In addition to the general signs of drug abuse discussed above, cocaine has some specific side effects, including:
As Medical News Today discusses, cocaine is highly addictive and the strongest natural occurring stimulant in existence. Cocaine addiction is associated with dramatic personal losses; there are reports of professionals spending $20,000 to $50,000 on cocaine binges, parents selling their children, and people becoming unemployed, having to file bankruptcy, and ending up homeless. It is clear that cocaine use can spiral out of control. For this reason, the earlier the abuse is intercepted, the better.
It is important to understand that even though benzodiazepines are legal, they may be used in a way that makes the use illegal. If a person is showing the signs of abuse, it is critical to get them help.
There are three main categories of prescription medications: depressants, stimulants, and painrelievers. As the Mayo Clinic discusses, the signs of abuse of prescription drugs vary depending on the specific medication or drug category. While the general signs of addiction described above provide some guidance, the following is a breakdown by drug category of signs of prescription drug abuse.
Depressants have some characteristic physical side effects. As benzodiazepines are included in this category and have been discussed above, some physical signs of depressant drug use include poor judgment, unsteady walking, and rapid involuntary eye movements.
Prescription stimulants include amphetamines and methylphenidate (such as Ritalin) and are the most commonly abused drugs in this category. In addition to the behavioral and psychological signs of addiction described above, physical signs of prescription stimulant abuse include:
Recognizing the signs of prescription drug abuse is not only for trained professionals. Family and friends are the first line of attack against an advancing drug problem. One of the best responses to witnessing the signs is to talk to a qualified counselor about how to get help.
The first step to getting help is being able to recognize the physical, mental, and emotional signs, like abrupt weight or personality changes in your friends or family members. If you or someone you know has an addiction, call 1-800-622-4357 for free and confidential treatment referral and information from Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
Addiction is commonly associated with substance abuse, but behavioral addictions like gambling are just as serious. According to ASAM, addiction is when a person is unable to consistently abstain from a behavior or substance. This is typically at the cost of their mental and physical health.
Studies suggest that behavioral addictions are as serious as substance addictions. Both types result in dependency and have the same or similar negative consequences. Behavioral addiction can include:
You may notice an increase in alienation over time. People with an addiction tend to surround themselves with others who encourage their habits. When confronted, they may make excuses and try to justify their behavior to you.
In the middle or later stages of an addiction, the negative effects will be more permanent or have long-term consequences. Someone with a serious addiction problem may allow, ignore, or trivialize these outcomes in favor of continuing their habits.
Similar events can occur in the lives of people without an addiction problem. But these can become more common when an addiction is present. Before approaching someone you think may have an addition, determine if the problem is a result of a single incident or a growing problem with the addiction.
While overall moodiness can simply be part of adolescence and the teen years, drug use is generally signified by more drastic changes in mood or behaviors in this age group. Per the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), signs of drug use in adolescents include acting withdrawn, tired, depressed, or hostile.
If drug use is suspected, early invention is essential to ensure the most robust chances of successful recovery. Friends and family members may choose to stage an intervention once signs of drug use are apparent; if so, a professional interventionist can guide the planning process and the execution of the event for best results.
and friends or family members are the first to notice something has changed. If you are worried that you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction, uncertainty makes it hard to proceed. However, there are some telltale signs and symptoms to help you identify any potential issues.
Side effects can include slight alterations to physical appearance that may start to become noticeable. Bloodshot or red eyes and pinpoint or dilated pupils are all telling signs of many types of drug abuse. Also, pay attention to skin texture and complexion. Frequent abnormal puffiness and flushed or washed-out color can also indicate ongoing abuse of drugs or alcohol.
Substance abuse disorders are incredibly isolating. A user often experiences shame and fears social stigma, and some drugs also can induce paranoia. This can cause a person to withdraw from their usual relationships and become secretive. Reclusive behaviors that point to hiding an addiction include:
Withdrawn behavior and responding with hostility or wariness when uncomfortable topics arise can be a sign of defensiveness. A person trying to hide addiction may redirect the conversation with arguments or even aggressive mood swings, and distraction methods are also a defensive sign.
This trait is usually very evident and a symptom of most substance addictions. Depending on the drug, the high could be associated with euphoria, paranoia, feelings of power, or invulnerability. These are all sensations that can lead users to reckless or dangerous actions. Withdrawal brings with it physical and emotional distress that can also lead to erratic or even violent behavior.
If you have identified some of these signs in yourself or someone you love, you may want to reach out to an intervention specialist. Addiction is difficult to talk about, even with those you are very close to. An intervention specialist will help your family approach the topic of addiction with clarity and understanding and can provide invaluable support and advice.
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While signs and symptoms differ between individuals and each addictive disorder, there is one to always be aware of: problematic patterns of substance use. A person with substance use disorder finds it difficult to control impulses, begins accommodating their life for their substance of choice, and engages in risky behaviors.
If you recognize signs of addiction in your life, judgment-free help is out there. The first steps are always the hardest, but at Valley Oaks Health, we will be with you until recovery is reality.
Watching addiction take over someone you love is painful. Approaching them with love and compassion can be challenging, especially if their disorder adversely impacts your own quality of life. But treatment is available for them and healing is possible for you.
How do you know if you or a loved one is addicted? Find out here.\n"}Illicit Drug Signs and Symptoms of AbuseClick on any substance below to find out some characteristic signs and symptoms of abuse and addiction for that substance. You can also learn how to find help for chemical dependence and drug and alcohol withdrawal.
Drug addiction, also called substance use disorder, is a disease that affects a person's brain and behavior and leads to an inability to control the use of a legal or illegal drug or medicine. Substances such as alcohol, marijuana and nicotine also are considered drugs. When you're addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes.
Drug addiction can start with experimental use of a recreational drug in social situations, and, for some people, the drug use becomes more frequent. For others, particularly with opioids, drug addiction begins when they take prescribed medicines or receive them from others who have prescriptions.
Sometimes called the "opioid epidemic," addiction to opioid prescription pain medicines has reached an alarming rate across the United States. Some people who've been using opioids over a long period of time may need physician-prescribed temporary or long-term drug substitution during treatment. 2ff7e9595c
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