Drug abuse is nearly always carried on in secret. The abuser is trying to hide the drug use activities from parents, the spouse, the school or any authorities such as the police. Because of the legal and social consequences of drug abuse, it is often difficult to learn with certainty that the problem exists, at least until the problem is so large that it can no longer be hidden.
To determine if there is a drug problem, look for the symptoms and signs, both physical signs and behavioral signs. Look through the following signs and symptoms and if you find several, the chances that there is an actual substance abuse problem increase with every yes answer.
Behavioral signs and symptoms:
These will usually be the first alerts when drugs are present. It might take a long time for the physical changes to manifest themselves, but changes in attitude and behavior can occur overnight.
- Changes in sleep habits
This does not mean a small change in sleeping hours, or falling asleep on the couch for a change. These changes can be severe. NO sleep for a couple of days, a former early riser sleeping till 3 PM regularly, or someone who was always a light sleeper now being nearly impossible to awaken.
- Altered eating habits with resultant weight changes
Many drugs, when abused, reduce the user's appetite so completely that they will begin to waste away right before your eyes. The brain is getting a false signal, constantly saying, "You are full, stop eating!" This leads to many very unhealthy conditions which can continue to intensify the drug problems.
Other drugs, in some individuals, might cause over eating. This results in weight gain. There can also be alterations in metabolism because of drug use, which might cause changes in eating habits and weight in some users.
- Mood swings
Drug abuse affects the emotional stability of the abuser and can have severe, even disastrous effects on the addict's feelings and sense of well-being. Too often, these mood changes are not attributed to the drug abuse, leading some users into a tail-spin of introversion and even depression.
Physical signs and symptoms:
Physical symptoms are reliable indicators of an ongoing drug problem. While not infallible, these are definitely clues that something is wrong.
- Redness in the eyes or around the nose
Redness or soreness in the nasal area is a common sign of abuse of several drugs. Meth, cocaine and prescription drugs are often "snorted" into the nose to be absorbed into the nasal and sinus tissues.
- Needle marks
Marks like small sores on arms or other places where needles have punctured the skin, usually over veins are obvious flags of drug abuse. Because this is so easily spotted, addicts often find more obscure places on their bodies to shoot drugs into a vein, or they take to wearing long-sleeve shirts and long pants in all weather conditions in order to hide the evidence of their drug use.
- Pupils dilated or constricted
This might seem harder to spot, but when the pupils are so wide that they nearly cover the whole eyeball, or when they are simple pin-points, it is very obvious.
There is a road out of this mess. With proper guidance, ANYONE can work their way back to sobriety and reclaim their lives.
These are only some of the signs of drug abuse, but they are pretty reliable. And if two or more of these changes are present, the likelihood that you have a drug problem on your hands increases. So being alert to the signs and symptoms of drug abuse and addiction could, actually, save a life by helping someone find the needed treatment before it is too late.
