Signs of Drug Abuse
What are the signs of drug abuse? Once you know what to look for, the signs of drug abuse and the symptoms of substance abuse can be obvious or they can be hidden so well that without blood or urine tests you might never know. However, if you have developed suspicions or fears of drug abuse in someone you love, your subconscious may have picked up indicators without you being consciously aware of them. For years I avoided recognizing that my wife had a drug problem. I took her at her word when she explained that she was just tired, or depressed, or unhappy. I ignored the signs of drug abuse that she demonstrated regularly. In retrospect, my denial of her problem contributed to a life of escalating problems for us both. Once I was willing to accept that I was married to an alcoholic addict, combined with a lot of work on my part, life eventually got better. Following is a list of signs and symptoms that can indicate drug use and abuse. Noting any single item in the list likely means little unto itself. However an ongoing, escalating pattern of several of these symptoms, especially if accompanied by changes in fundamental behavior or personality, could be a strong indicator of a drug problem. Sometimes the simplest way to find out whether someone is using drugs it to ask. They may not tell you, but their response could be telling.
Possible Signs & Symptoms of Drug Abuse
Behavioral Signs & Symptoms: - Abnormal laziness
- Agitation
- Aggression
- Anger
- Anxiety
- Associating with unsavory
- Chills
- Claiming to see or hear things that are not there
- Cravings
- Declining grades in school
- Depression
- Difficulty concentrating
- Dishonesty
- Doesn’t care about anything
- Erratic changes in behavior
- Excessively talkative
- Fatigue
- Forgetfulness
- Frequenting unusual
- Giddiness
- Headache
- Hostility
- Hyperactivity
- Impaired learning
- Impaired thinking
- Increased desire for privacy
- Increased school absences
- Increased secrecy
- Irregular sleeping patterns
- Irritability
- Lack of concern for grooming or appearance
- Lack of motivation
- Loses train of thought
- Losing interest in activities and
- Low energy
- Low self-esteem
- Memory problems
- Missing prescription drugs
- Missing work or school
- Mood swings
- Moody
- Needing more money
- Nervousness
- Noticeable changes in behavior
- Noticing that money or valuable objects are missing
- Oversensitive
- Pale skin
- Panic
- Paranoia
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Resentful
- Runny nose
- Secretive
- Short attention span
- Silly behavior
- Sleeplessness
- Stealing
- Temper tantrums
- Tendency towards sudden violence
- Trouble managing money
- Unexplainable change in personality
- Unusual energy levels
- Withdrawing from family life
Physical Signs & Symptoms: - Blank stare
- Bloodshot eyes
- Blushing
- Body shakes
- Body tremors or shaking, particularly in hands, head or feet
- Changes to unusual modes of dress
- Changes in eating habits
- Contracted pupils
- Decreased reaction time
- Diarrhea
- Dilated pupils
- Dizziness
- Excessive sweating
- Goose bumps
- Hacking cough
- Inability to sleep
- Increased appetite
- Increased use of incense or perfumes
- Insomnia
- Intense hunger
- Loss of appetite
- Muscle cramps
- Muscle pain
- Nausea
- Needle marks on lower arms, between toes, on legs or on bottoms of feet
- Poor coordination
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
- Puffy face
- Red, watery eyes
- Seizures
- Shaky hands
- Slow or staggered walk
- Stomach cramps
- Strange smelling breath
- Tremors
- Twitchiness
- Unexplained weight gain or loss
- Unusual odors in bedroom or on clothes
- Vomiting
- Watery eyes
- Yawning
By my count, my alcoholic addict had 38 of these behavioral symptoms and 15 of the physical symptoms, many of them even early in my marriage. Yet it still took me five years before I admitted that I had a problem and began to look for help. And even then I was in denial about the drug problem. I thought it was just an alcohol problem.
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