Drug addiction is a problematic substance abuse disorder that needs immediate attention. The sooner you can identify its symptoms and warning signs, the better. The symptoms of addiction get quite apparent over time. It happens because drug abuse takes a toll on the mental and physical health of an individual. Therefore, anyone can notice deteriorating physical health, behavioral issues, and lifestyle issues of the victim.

Understanding if someone has an addiction is the extremely initial step to healing. Therefore, one must never ignore the underlying health concerns and any symptoms. For you, these unusual and unhealthy signs might not be a great deal, but they can destroy the victim’s life.

Without a timely diagnosis, the substance abuse disorder can accelerate further and cause several other chronic issues. It can disrupt an individual’s personal and professional life and destroy their mental peace over time. Now, the patient may not comprehend what is happening to them since they believe everything is fine. However, you are capable of understanding the warning signs of addiction.

Moreover, you always have the choice to consult a professional regarding substance abuse symptoms. Some professional institutes like Delphi Behavioral Health Group guide people about various signs and symptoms of drug abuse. Such institutes further help in diagnosing the patient, offering a suitable treatment program for them. However, they can only help those patients who reach out to them.

You must ensure that your loved one gets treated on time. To make that happen, keep an eye out for the following symptoms that a drug addict might experience. Let’s check them out.

How to Identify Addiction Warning Signs?

1.  Behavioral Warning Signs

You can witness numerous behavioral changes in someone who is going through drug abuse. Try to spend a day or two with the victim and see if they have the following behavioral symptoms.

• Lack of socializing over the phone and in-person.
• Taking frequent leaves from work and lagging behind important tasks.
• No longer spending time with family members or missing out on dinner and lunch parties.
• No longer interested in co-curricular activities or hobbies that they once enjoyed.
• Complaints about the rude or poor attitude from other people.
• Stealing valuables, prescription drugs, and money from home.
• Isolating themselves entirely and not letting anyone come near them.
• Constantly borrowing money from co-workers, friends, supervisors, and family members.
• Showing aggressive behavior or being violent towards others.

2.  Physical Warning Signs

Apart from behavioral warning signs, you will notice some physical changes in the victim as well. These are the most apparent ones, and you can identify them quickly. Most of them are listed below:

• Sudden and apparent changes in weight. They either face extreme weight loss or weight gain.
• Dilated pupils and bloodshot eyes.
• Poor physical appearance and not caring much about how they look or dress up.
• Slurred speech; either talking too fast or not.
• Feeling drowsy and being unable to walk properly.
• Finding it difficult to breathe most of the time.
• Repeated vomits and nausea.
• Troubling to stay conscious in front of people and having delusions.
• Not feeling hungry at all or having the urge to eat non-stop.
• Interrupting patterns of sleep usually cause insomnia.
• Zero motivation to shower, brush teeth and maintain proper hygiene.

3.  Psychological Warning Signs

These warning signs are the unhealthiest ones as they are difficult to identify and understand. Drug and alcohol addiction triggers mental health, and most people realize that when it is too late. Try not to make the same mistake and look out for the following psychological symptoms:

• Being unable to remember important events.
• Having blackouts after they have taken drugs or alcohol.
• Frequent fights with loved ones, co-workers, or friends.
• Recurring periods of feeling agitated, depressed, or anxious.
• Having mood swings more than ever.
• Finding solace in drugs and using them to sleep better, improve their mood, and feel normal.
• Constantly complaining about headaches, upset stomach, or lack of sleep.
• Feeling paranoid, irritable, and aggressive for no particular reason.
• Sitting with friends but not paying attention to what they say.
• Having delusions and being in denial about their drug addiction problem.
• Feeling defensive and obnoxious in front of people.
• Laughing hysterically out of the blue and acting strange.
• Low self-confidence and feeling worthless of love and respect.
• Making excuses to ditch responsibilities and showing secretive behavior.

You must be thinking about why it is so important to look out for the symptoms mentioned above. Well, these symptoms can turn into major life-threatening problems if they are left untreated. As someone who is in complete senses, it is your responsibility to help the victim in distress.

Nobody deserves to live a troublesome life that worsens with time. If you successfully identify the stressors on time, you can save someone from the long-term consequences of drug abuse. Here are a few long-term consequences of addiction:

• Broken relationships with family members and best friends.
• Loss of respect in society and a bad reputation.
• Getting evicted from their home due to unsuccessful mortgage payments.
• Losing their job and being unable to join elsewhere.
• Suffering from depression, anxiety, or any other mental health condition.

Next steps towards recovery

It’s important to have quick access to treatment. If you or someone you know has an addiction, call 1-800-622-4357 for free and confidential treatment referral and information from SAMHSA. You can also seek help from your doctor, local treatment center, or support group.

Addictions often affect many areas of a person’s life. The most effective treatments are comprehensive. They often have several steps that vary from person to person. These steps can include detoxification, behavioral counseling, and long-term follow-up.

Here are some ways you can support a friend or family member’s recovery process:

• Learn more about the substance or behavior dependency and the treatment.
• Stay involved, like offering to go to meetings with them.
• Provide a sober and trigger-free setting.
• Speak up and express concern when there is a relapse.

While you can treat addiction, in most cases, someone with addiction must want to change for recovery to be successful.

The Bottom Line:

Mostly, family members and friends play a crucial role in saving the victim’s life. If they can locate the underlying symptoms, they can get their loved ones treated on time. By learning the potential warning signs, you are enlightening yourself about drug abuse. The more you understand this problem, the easier it becomes to seek help for the victim. So you need to do your part and keep an eye out for these addiction warning signs before it gets too late.