You never want to see your friends fall or have trouble, but it is wise to understand the warning signs of addiction. If you think your friend is having trouble handling his/her load in life, you’ll want to know if your friend needs help.
Take some time now to learn a little about eh warning signs of drug/alcohol addiction. If you can see the signs, maybe you can help your friend before it is too late.
Behavioral signs of addiction
If you are really concerned that your friend is having trouble with addiction, you may notice these behavioral signs.
- Your friend may be having trouble maintaining relationships with family, lovers, and even you.
- You may find that your friend is facing unusual legal trouble.
- If your friend begins to extend a much lower level of performance at their job.
- You find that your friend is grossly neglecting their adult responsibilities.
- Addiction often manifests in social withdrawal.
- Your friend may also start involving themselves in excessively risky behaviors.
- Drug addiction may cause your friend to exhibit unusual mood shifts.
Though these signs and symptoms don’t always mean that a person is on drugs or alcohol, they are often a good marker for an issue.
Physical signs of addiction
If you’re concerned that your friend is having addiction issues with drugs or alcohol, it’s helpful to understand some of the physical signs and symptoms of addiction.
- Your friend is either sleeping too little or too much.
- Your friend always has red or watery eyes with large or super small pupils.
- Poor coordination can be a red flag for alcohol use.
- Slurred or labored speech could be a sign of a few different addiction issues.
- A sudden drop in personal hygiene could mean something’s up.
- A drastic shift in weight is a tell-tale sign of addiction.
- You may also want to pay attention to the tone and complexion of your friend.
Ultimately, addiction will leave its physical marker on the user. If you educate yourself on the physical effects of the drug you suspect your friend is having trouble with, you may uncover a bit more.
Understand common effects
Knowing specifics regarding some of the common offenders of addiction will help you to more easily identify when (or if) your friend is having trouble.
- Opioids – Heroin, OxyContin, hydrocodone, Vicodin, Percocet, and more. Small pupils, loss of appetite, lots of sleep, puking, coughing, sweating. You may also find needle marks on their arms.
- Stimulants – Methamphetamine, cocaine, crack, and others. Stimulants will cause increased energy, weight loss, dry mouth, and increased talkativity.
- Depressants – Prescription drugs, alcohol, benzos, barbiturates, and tranquilizers. Depressants will cause excessive sleepiness, slurred speech, trouble concentrating, and other expressions similar to being drunk.
- Inhalants – Household chemicals, air duster, glues, and other aerosols. Inhalants can cause a person to have vision problems, mood swings, memory issues, nausea, bloody nose, and more.