6 Signs of Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a growing problem that is leaving many families devastated. When you feel trapped in the chains of addiction, it affects all areas of your life. If you are addicted to drugs, then it can wreak havoc on your personal friendships, love life, career, and everything else which you hold dear.

This epidemic of drug addiction victims that is emerging has left those seeking to find help confused regarding what they should do next. Fortunately, drug addiction treatment from professionals is available, and it’s the perfect solution to regain a healthy, drug-free life. Experts at drug rehab facilities, such as orange county rehab, are trained to expertly meet the needs of those looking for help. Receiving professional drug addiction treatment is the most accepted and successful answer to beating addiction, and it takes all of the guesswork from the healing process!

One of the most traumatic aspects of discovering that you, a friend, or a family member is an addict is that you didn’t realize that there was a drug problem at all until it was too late. Detecting drug addiction seems like it should be an easy observation to make; unfortunately, it is commonly overlooked while it is still in its early stages. Knowing what to look for can be tricky, so it is best if you have an expert guide you in the right direction.

So, here are some of the major signs of drug addiction you should watch for:

1. Bloodshot Eyes are a Common Warning

It is a long-running joke that you can tell that someone is under the influence of drugs because they will have bloodshot eyes. It’s funny when you hear it, but it is true a lot of the time. Your eye has many blood vessels that are affected by blood flow, and drugs can constrict your capillaries or they can expand them; therefore, a change in eye appearance is often drug-related. So, the first steps to noticing drug addiction are to have a closer look at their eyes.

2. Fast and Extreme Weight Loss or Weight Gain

When we look at another person, it’s subconsciously a common practice to decide if they are healthy by noticing if they have gained or lost any weight since the last time we have seen them. Although this method isn’t considered an accurate health assessment within the medical community, it is a valid clue to help you decide if a person is healthy. Therefore, it is important to maintain a watchful eye on a suspected habitual drug addict to determine any unnatural body weight changes.

How each drug affects your body weight will be determined based on which type of drug is being abused. Cocaine, amphetamines, Ecstasy, and other stimulants are commonly used to promote weight-loss; therefore, their excessive use will cause weight-loss in the addict also. Furthermore, marijuana consumption is famous for creating “the munchies” in its users, so if this drug is abused by you or anyone else, then weight gain can be expected.

3. Bad Personal Hygiene

Social standards dictate that you maintain a minimum level of cleanliness and appearance; therefore, if you or another person has bad personal hygiene, then it’s blatantly obvious that something might be wrong. Bad hygiene should be considered an immediate red flag for you to investigate further.

It might seem rude, but certain hygiene discrepancies can lead to early detection if you act upon your instincts and examine them more completely. For example, changes in clothing can indicate that a potential addict has new friends or is adopting new beliefs that might favour an abusive drug-using culture. Also, wearing new makeup styles for girls or growing longer, unruly hair for guys can suggest that someone might benefit from closer observation. New tattoos are always communication that has a deeper meaning than they first appear to, so delve deeper to discover what the message is.

4. Isolating Yourself

Human beings are social creatures by default, so it is suspicious when someone you know closely changes their behaviour and suddenly decides that they no longer want to be interacting with others. If you or your loved one take on this behaviour, then you should examine if drug usage could be promoting it. Please remember to be honest with yourself, and don’t put on blinders to refuse the possibility of your drug addiction.

5. Mood Swings

Mood swings are when you suddenly have an extreme variance in mood. They are amazingly common among people, but what is uncommon is when a normally healthy and happy person suddenly shows these tendencies. If you have mood swings, then they are definitely happening for a reason, and you need to find out why.

If mood swings recently appear and you don’t know the cause, then it could mean you are suffering from bipolar disorder. However, if you have never shown symptoms of bipolar disorder before and you are a drug user, then a very likely possibility is that it is a result of mood swings provoked by a drug your using is affecting your health. Mood swings from drug use are undeniably an alarm bell that the drug user has a drug addiction problem that urgently needs to be fixed.

6. Financial Problems

When a financially stable friend unexpectedly exhibits a pattern of financial irresponsibility, the lack of money could mean drug use might be the culprit. Therefore, be on the lookout for odd spending habits. When they are secretive about their finances, this can mean they are on the wrong track. Additionally, if they borrow money from you and avoid paying it back, then find out why. Furthermore, if financial emergencies keep arising, then it is definitely an issue that warrants your attention.

In conclusion, drug addiction can be hard to notice, but when you use the guidelines I shared here it will make it easy to spot. If you notice that you, a friend of yours, or your family member has a drug abuse issue, then it is a problem that should be taken care of immediately. Drug abuse usually doesn’t improve on its own, so seek the help of a professional!