Clean & Serene

Just like cancer, drug abuse is a disease that eats away at the addict’s body and soul until there’s nothing left for the sickness to take. Although many try to hide from the problem and live in denial, the tell tale signs are there. If you see this abuse in anyone you know it’s essential that you act accordingly. Contact a rehabilitation center. Call a hotline such as AA or NA. Confront them about their addiction and make sure they get the help they need.

However, it’s not always as easy as recognizing the symptoms of abuse and seeking help. Unfortunately, drug addicts often want to pursue their habit, no matter how debilitating they become. They become extremely well versed in hiding addiction from their family and friends. Drugs control their day-to-day lives, and there’s no limit an addicted person won’t go to in order to feed their addiction. This includes lying and deceiving those closest to the person.

It’s not always automatic that you’ll pick up on the signs of drug abuse, especially in a teenager or young adult. Changes can occur so slowly that, eventually, abuse is disguised as “normal” behavior – angst and rebellion. There are two different sets of signs you can look for in order to spot drug abuse: Behavioral and physical.

Behavioral Signs of Abuse

• Bursts or anger or bouts of depression with no clear cause
• Different friends, hanging out in new places, coming home later and later and avoiding any conversation about recent activity
• A change in particular hobbies or other habits
• Performing poorly at work or in school
• A lack of motivation and a general “don’t care” attitude
• Paranoid behavior, thinking everyone’s attacking or questioning motives
• Lies and deceit, missing money or other expensive items from around the home
• A lack of self-esteem and a change in grooming habits; i.e. hair, skin, nails, clothes, etc
• No longer paying attention or often forgetting what they’re told

Physical Signs of Abuse

• A sudden change in eating habits, as in too much or bordering malnutrition
• A change in the physical appearance, usually in the face: paleness, bags under the eyes, breakouts, etc
• Sleeplessness and sporadic sleep times accompanied by laziness
• Staggered or slow walking
• Weight loss and an overall poor physical condition
• Dilated pupils, red and watering eyes, blank stares
• A paleness and a “sick” look, maybe including coughing and other cold-like symptoms
• Tremors in hands, feet, head or other parts of the body
• Any excessive sweating or unusual vomiting

These are just some of the signs to be on the lookout for if you suspect someone you know has a drug abuse problem. Hopefully, these signs will be the normal teen angst and maybe, at worst, experimentation. However, if the problem isn’t confronted, whatever it may be, it could very well lead to a deep, crippling addiction.

With the right steps taken to receive help, addiction has a good chance of being arrested. But doing nothing and letting it slide will allow the addiction to take over the person’s life. At a certain point, there is no turning back. Depending on the drug, the damage done can be severe and permanent.

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, and if your loved one is displaying any of these signs, it’s time to confront them and to find out what’s going on.