They may not be as obvious at first, but after a while, the signs of addiction become quite evident. Of course, depending on the drug, some of the signs may vary but at least two things remain certain; the addict will become irritable when they need a “fix” or a dose of their drug of choice and, they usually will display signs such as shaking hands or dark circles under their eyes that aren’t normally there. Addiction in itself means that the user feels a physical and psychological need for the drug and is dependant upon it for what they consider a feeling of wellness.
Break your addiction before it's too late.
Drug addiction causes actual changes in their mind, so even a person who was once a responsible and upstanding person can fall prey to the affects of drugs. Once the drugs take hold, their personality changes. The drug becomes more important than the job, family or anything else. Remember also, different addictions will cause different affects. A cocaine addiction will cause a person to be euphoric and full of energy where as an addiction to a sedative will make the person very calm. If the addict should ever become violent, call the police immediately. This often happens when the drug has been taken in large doses. First call the police, then call a drug rehabilitation center for more advice.
Other symptoms to look for, depending on the drug are:
- Irregular sleep patterns
- Periods of extreme happiness followed by severe depression
- Decreased interest in job and family
- Increased money being spent
- Weight fluctuations or sudden weight loss or gain
- Moodiness
- They begin keeping a drug kit next to their bed (pipe, needles, etc.)
- Paranoia or delusions
- Increased tendency toward violence.
- Extreme mood swings
Of course, this list is not exclusive. Needless to say, your loved one will begin acting differently. One thing is for certain; nothing becomes more important to the addict than their drug. If anyone suspects at all that a loved one may be addicted to any drug, they should seek out the help of a trained drug counselor. Drugs kill more and more people every year. They are not a joke and they are not a passing phase. Unless something is done, the drug will eventually kill the addict in one way or another.
