Drug and alcohol addiction are serious illnesses. As much as addicts try to, they cannot hide the signs of addiction forever. The signs and symptoms begin popping up everywhere, and if you know what to look for they can be easy to spot. One of the most pernicious aspects of drug and alcohol addiction are the harm they cause to those around them and the costs they take from one’s life and the lives of one’s loved ones.
Telltale Signs Of Drug Use And Alcohol Abuse
It can be incredibly difficult to admit you or someone you love is an addict. In fact, denial is often one of the hallmarks of the disease. Addicts don’t often want to stop, as quitting is difficult. But there is help available. While some people can quit using drugs and alcohol on their own, for many people, they need professional help. Seeking help is not a sign of weakness, but of strength. Addiction is a disease not a moral failing, and seeking help for treatment is a sign of maturity. Remember, addiction is absolutely treatable.
Whether you’re reading this to better understand if you may have an addiction, or if a loved one might be addicted to drugs and alcohol, below we’ve compiled some of the most common and recognizable symptoms of addiction in adults.
Signs Of Addiction In Adults
While in the early stages of addiction the effects can sometimes be hard to see, over time they begin to become clear. Not all addicts will display all of the signs of addiction below, and some will display some more than others. Addiction is a personalized disease, but even displaying one of these symptoms may be cause for concern.
Loss Of Control
Loss of control when using drugs or alcohol is one of the most important signs to delineate addicts from occasional users, especially when it comes to alcohol. People who are addicted cannot control their addiction. Have you or a loved one set out to have just one drink, and ended up intoxicated after many? Have you or a loved one taken risky actions like drunk driving or had unprotected sex after drinking or drug use? These could be signs of a larger problem.
Wanting To Quit And Not Being Able To
Wanting to quit and not being able to is one of the major signs of addiction. Because addiction is a disease, it means there is a loss of control. When drinking or drug use is ruining people’s lives, and the addict recognizes it, but they can’t stop using on their own, this is a sign that professional help needs to be brought in to help break the addiction.
Obsessing Over Drugs Or Alcohol
Are you or your loved one not able to stop thinking about using drugs or alcohol? Has the person using become obsessed? If you or your loved one finds themselves thinking about using in situations where it is not appropriate, or even using in situations where these activities are not appropriate, addition could be possible at this stage.
Behavioral Changes
Behavioral changes come in all shapes and sizes, and are often different for each addict. These can include changes in weight and eating habits, changes in sleep patterns including staying awake or sleeping too much, mood disorders like anxiety and depression, secretiveness, etc.
Work Or School Performance Issues
Addiction often touches every facet of one’s life, and this can especially include performance at school and work. One of the telltale signs of addiction are when the use of the substance begins affecting other parts of the user’s life. Often, school and work are the first places it impacts, and can be seen in absenteeism, decreased performance, declining grades and the like.
Signs Of Withdrawal
Withdrawal symptoms are different for each drug, but if the user is experiencing withdrawal like cravings, shaking, the sweats, this is a sign that the user is addicted. These symptoms are most often present after a binge, where the addict takes many drugs or drinks over a short period of time then abruptly stops. A medical detox is the safest course of action when withdrawal symptoms are present, or better yet before they appear.
Loss of Interest In Other Activities
If someone has suddenly lost interest in activities they normally found fun in favor of doing drugs or drinking, this can be a sign of addiction. A sign that someone is addicted induces being so obsessed with these substances they stop doing other things they used to enjoy to use.
Tolerance
If you or your loved one needs more and more drugs or alcohol to get the same effects they once did, this is a sign of growing tolerance, which itself can be a sign of addiction. Almost all drugs, including alcohol, create these tolerances.
Help For Drug And Alcohol Addiction Is Available
If you or a loved one are displaying one or more of the symptoms mentioned above, you may be addicted to drugs or alcohol. If you suspect you or a loved one is addicted, reach out for help as soon as possible. The sooner help is asked, the sooner it can be given.
Here at Better Tomorrow Treatment Center we specialize in helping those with addiction recognize their disease, and help to treat it. Give Better Tomorrow a call at (844) 989-1451 for immediate help if you or someone you care about is struggling with addiction.
