Warning Signs of Substance and Alcohol Use Disorder Information for Family and Friends

While highly unpleasant, cocaine withdrawal symptoms are rarely medical emergencies. As cocaine travels through the blood as well as the brain, the abuse of cocaine causes effects upon the whole body. Cocaine is responsible for more U.S. emergency room visits than any other illegal drug. Cocaine abuse damages the brain, heart, blood vessels, and lungs – occasionally leading to sudden death. Harbor Oaks Hospital, located in New Baltimore, MI, offers treatment for those struggling with addiction, psychiatric, and behavioral disorders. Drug and alcohol addictions are diseases, but they are treatable.

• If they do not deny behavior when confronted, they may engage in minimization, offering only superficial excuses, and/or not fully admitting to how serious their behavior and its consequences are.
• Heroin and opioids will give users constricted pupils and a glassy-eyed, hazy look, similar to what happens when someone has consumed excessive amounts of alcohol.
• As a caring adult, be aware of any shifts in friendships, associations and activities.

These drugs can cause severe intoxication, which results in dangerous health effects or even death. Two groups of synthetic drugs — synthetic cannabinoids and substituted or synthetic cathinones — are illegal in most states. The effects of these drugs can be dangerous and unpredictable, as there is no quality control and some ingredients may not be known. It was like a light switch — I asked myself, “Where did my daughter go? ” I found out it was both substance use and mental health issues at the same time. Withdrawn behavior and responding with hostility or wariness when uncomfortable topics arise can be a sign of defensiveness.

How to Help Someone with a Drug Addiction?

Moodiness is one of the most common behavioral signs of addiction. Even if your loved one has not yet developed an addiction, regular drug use can cause drastic changes to their mood and personality. Many Ohio residents abuse drugs, and drug abuse causes a variety of mental, behavioral, and physical symptoms. This serious disease makes you feel unable to stop using drugs. As with adults, teenage drug abuse isn’t limited to illegal drugs. In fact, teens are more likely to abuse prescription and over-the-counter drugs, including painkillers, stimulants, sedatives, and tranquilizers.

When you’re addicted, you may continue using the drug despite the harm it causes. However, some behavior may indicate more serious issues, such as abuse of drugs and alcohol. Many people struggling with addiction cannot support healthy relationships because their priority is drug use. They often let drug use get in the way of their relationships with friends, family members, and romantic partners. Among teens, it is also important to pay attention to their school behavior and whether or not you’re getting calls from their teachers about new bad behaviors that have little explanation.

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There are various warning signs and symptoms that indicate substance use in young adults. Most of the symptoms of substance use in teenagers relate to their behavioral reactions. Some individuals may also have physical symptoms that signify substance use.

A person can appear drunk, even if they do not smell like they’ve been drinking. On the other side of the spectrum, uppers, and hallucinogens like LSD can cause a user to speak rapidly, or repetitively. During the intervention, these people gather together to have a direct, heart-to-heart conversation with the person about the consequences of addiction.

How drug abuse and addiction develops

Prescription drug abuse is a growing problem in the United States. It can have serious consequences, including addiction and even death. To help prevent prescription drug abuse, it’s important to understand which drugs are most commonly abused. Many teens who struggle with addiction also have a co-occurring mental health disorder, such as anxiety or depression. It’s important to recognize that one disorder does not cause the other; they occur at the same time. Beginning with families, teens gain an understanding of both healthy and unhealthy behaviors.

There are behavioral, physical, and psychological aspects of addiction. The size of someone’s pupils and the color of the sclera will change depending on which drug is consumed. Marijuana, amphetamines, and hallucinogens will cause dilated pupils and red eyes. Heroin and opioids will give users constricted pupils and a glassy-eyed, hazy look, similar to what happens when someone has consumed excessive amounts of alcohol. Drug addiction symptoms, much like addiction itself, do not discriminate.

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This term refers to a meth-induced hallucination that bugs are crawling on or under the skin. To get rid of this sensation, your loved one may scratch themselves https://ecosoberhouse.com/article/warning-signs-of-drug-use-and-addiction/ excessively, leaving scars and scabs. For instance, if your loved one uses stimulants, they may seem excited one moment and extremely fearful the next.

Lack of interest in activities, mood swings, and other drug-related behavioral changes may take a toll on your loved one’s social life. Options is a mental health and addiction treatment center for adolescents, adults, and seniors. Located in Indianapolis, IN, Options provides specialized care for each unique individual. Another sign is failing tests and quizzes, bad grades in classes, and poor performance or behavior in the classroom. You can support a person with a substance abuse problem and encourage treatment, but you can’t force an addict to change.

Video: Teen Health: Substance Use and Abuse

Psychological signs of drug abuse can include changes in a person’s thought patterns, attitudes, beliefs and priorities. There are behavioral, emotional, and physical signs and symptoms. Different drugs will present with different sets of symptoms and these will be indicated, but most symptoms will be stable across different substances. People who suffer from mental health disorders are at an increased risk of becoming addicted, either to legal or illegal drugs. Mental health disorders can cause an individual to self-medicate.

Addiction—to prescription and street drugs and alcohol —is a serious problem. If you’re worried that you or a loved one may have an addiction, there are signs to help you know. Benzodiazepines are a prescription medication used to treat anxiety, insomnia, seizures, alcohol withdrawal, and other conditions. Benzodiazepines are mainly available in tablet or capsule form, though some are manufactured as injectable liquids and syrups.

When the person is high, they may be hyperactive, affectionate or excitable. As soon as the high wears off and withdrawal symptoms set in, they may become angry, irritable or even verbally abusive. Click on any substance below to find out some characteristic signs and symptoms of abuse and addiction to that substance.

• For instance, they might have body odor, unkempt hair, unbrushed teeth, or dirty clothes.
• Common pharmaceutical painkillers of abuse include Opana, OxyContin, Percocet, and Vicodin.
• They may have difficulty remembering details of important appointments or blatantly ignore pressing deadlines or obligations.
• Someone who struggles with addiction may become increasingly withdrawn from loved ones and often seeks privacy to obtain or use drugs.
• Substituted cathinones, also called “bath salts,” are mind-altering (psychoactive) substances similar to amphetamines such as ecstasy (MDMA) and cocaine.
• Knowing the warning signs and symptoms of prescription drug abuse can help you recognize when someone needs professional help and addiction treatment.