Signs of Drug Addiction

Depending on the drug in question, some signs of the addiction can be very easy to see while others take a while to make themselves known.

While there are many different drugs which can produce many different symptoms, the signs of addiction are fairly universal.  Once a person becomes addicted to a drug, any drug, they will stop at nothing to get that drug. Their drug of choice becomes more important than family, job, friends or anything else. This is the most noticeable sign of drug addiction.

There are other things to watch out for, however, as drug addiction does produce similar actions in many people.  If you notice a pouch or a drug kit next to the bed, that is a sign of an addict.  They often must have a hit of their drug upon waking.  The drug kit will most often contain whatever they need for their drug of choice which could be a pipe or a needle and the drug itself.  People who are addicted to drugs often become extremely agitated when they do not have access to their drug.  They may even steal to get the money to purchase it.  Their threshold for violence becomes lower.  They may leave home for long periods of time and their moods fluctuate dramatically. Often, they will have dilated pupils or maybe they will seem extremely sluggish.  Different drugs produce different symptoms but most people just notice that there are many things both physically and emotionally different about their loved one.

One of the signs of drug addiction is the lack of interest in things the addict used to care about. This could be a hobby or a sport, but it could also be losing interest in their spouse or children.  Many times, they lose interest in their jobs.  Although well intentioned, loved ones often mistakenly assume that the addict will snap out of it or realize what they are doing.  That just is not the case.  It is never too soon to contact a drug counselor about what should be done to help the person you love.  Often, addictions run in families but sometimes they spring out of nowhere.  Regardless, there is help available and no one sets out to become a drug addict. It is no longer true that the addict must be the one to reach out for help.  Intervention has been known to work with the help of trained drug counselors.

Don’t wait.  Get help for your loved one today.

Author: National Addiction Resources

America's Best Treatment Directory