Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse

No one wants to admit to their parents that they are using illicit drugs. Because of this, many people with an addiction will begin to lie about their whereabouts, how they spent their time or where their money is going. This is done to maintain a façade of normalcy in order to prevent prying. If you notice that a loved one is becoming secretive or deceitful, then there is a good chance they are hiding something from you.

The effects of these drugs can be dangerous and unpredictable, as there is no quality control and many ingredients may be unknown. Harbor Oaks Hospital, located in New Baltimore, MI, offers treatment for those struggling with addiction, psychiatric, and behavioral disorders. Luckily, the only good news about drug abuse is that it is a treatable condition. If you think your loved one is suffering from drug abuse, it is important to get them help as soon as possible before it leads to deadly consequences. In order to get high or to hide their drug abuse, your loved one may miss school or work but have no good excuse as to why.

Signs of Cocaine Abuse

You may also find paraphernalia, your loved one spending a lot of time on the phone, individuals coming around the home that you do not recognize, or your loved one frequently coming-and-going. If they have a job or career, you may also notice declining performance in the professional aspects as drug use becomes the number one priority. There may also be no drive to complete work or perform how they once did, especially if work-related stress is what led to substance abuse in the first place.

Lethargy, drowsiness, constricted pupils fail to respond to light. Scars (tracks) on inner arms or other parts of body, from needle injections. Use or possession of paraphernalia including syringes, bent spoons, bottle caps, eye droppers, rubber tubing, cotton and needles. In cases where patient has chronic pain and abuse of medication is suspected, it may be indicated by amounts and frequency taken. Below are some of the more common signs that someone you love may have a problem with drugs or alcohol.

What are the signs and symptoms of substance use disorder?

Representatives are available to take your call, answer your questions about addiction and treatment and guide you toward a program that meets your needs. To get started with comprehensive substance use disorder treatment, contact The Recovery Village today. Someone who struggles with a substance use disorder may feel like a slave to their disease, unable to stop using drugs even when they attempt to.

This will, in turn, also worsen the severity of the co-occurring disorder’s mental illness. Benzodiazepines help treat anxiety and seizures by acting on the central nervous https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/alcohol-and-depression-how-alcohol-makes-your-depression-worse/ system in a way that relaxes muscles, produces sedative effects, and lowers anxiety levels. Common benzodiazepine prescription medications include Valium and Xanax.

Prevention and Risk Factors

Because of this, someone who is normally easy going and friendly can become irritable and short-tempered while under the influence or experiencing withdrawal. If someone appears extremely agitated, unable to sit still and becomes snappy for no apparent reason there is a good chance something is going on to cause this. People who are in recovery have a higher chance of using substances again.

Substituted cathinones, also called “bath salts,” are psychoactive substances similar to amphetamines such as Ecstasy (MDMA) or Adderall. Despite the name, these are not bath products such as Epsom salts. Substituted cathinones can be eaten, inhaled or injected and are highly addictive. These drugs can cause severe intoxication that results in dangerous health effects or even death. Two groups of synthetic drugs — synthetic cannabinoids and substituted cathinones — are illegal in most states.

Family members, loved ones, and coworkers are usually in the best position to recognize a drug problem as they are familiar with the person’s behavior and habits. Co-occurring sufferers of eating disorders, like anorexia and bulimia, will sometimes use amphetamines to curb food cravings and hunger pains. Growing up or living in poverty contributes to an increased risk of developing an addiction. Also, people in lower socioeconomic brackets do not have as much margin for error as wealthier individuals. While someone in the middle or upper class can more easily access therapy and rehabilitation, and handle legal woes, someone in poverty cannot. Learning to recognize the physical or behavioral signs of drug use can help to prevent the problem from progressing further.

One of the most challenging aspects of addiction is that it is a progressive disease. Early warning signs can be hard to spot, and unhealthy patterns can develop into a full-blown substance use disorder (often referred to as substance abuse) if not addressed. These are behavioral and physical signs that your child could be misusing medications, or using drugs or drinking alcohol. Knowing the signs and symptoms of teen drug use can help you better understand if or when you should consider a teen drug intervention program. Knowing the signs that someone is on drugs may help you identify when there is a problem. Taking steps to address this problem may save your loved one’s life.

Our Treatment Philosophy consists of providing the highest quality services while ensuring that each patient has a personalized treatment plan. New Hope Ranch is a residential treatment center focusing on prevention, assessment, treatment, and reintegration signs of drug use for people suffering from substance abuse. Services are provided on our beautiful 49-acre ranch just 15 minutes from downtown Austin, Texas. When an individual is using drugs, they will usually seek privacy and become hard to reach.

• Common pharmaceutical painkillers of abuse include Opana, OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin.
• It is not uncommon for someone who is coming off a meth binge to sleep for days on end.
• When someone is asking for more and more money, stealing or pawning off their possessions, there is a good chance they are doing so to feed an addiction.
• People often use drugs to change the way they feel, whether to increase pleasure or calm anxiety.
• Adolescents will typically avoid having such a potentially awkward conversation or otherwise intervening.
• They’re often used and misused in search for a sense of relaxation or a desire to “switch off” or forget stress-related thoughts or feelings.

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. Drug and alcohol abuse can lead to extreme weight fluctuations.