Drug and alcohol addiction is one of the most dangerous problems in the country because those at risk very often have no idea they are becoming addicted, and those around them have a very difficult time figuring out there is something wrong. Addiction is a silent killer, it can grab a hold of someone after just one use or it could spiral out of control with no warning. Part of the addiction is hiding what is really wrong with the individual, and when those close to the addict realize what is wrong, sometimes it is too late. The following are five signs of addiction that may help sort out someone who’s headed down this dangerous path.
Pre-Drinking
One fairly common practice amongst party-goers is the practice of “Pre-Gaming”, “Pre-Drinking” or “Priming the Pump”. Often people will start drinking before heading out to drink with friends, but this could be a sign of addiction. The usual explanation is drinking cheaper alcohol at home before going to more expensive bars, but there are red flags in this practice. Addicts often try to hide their problem from themselves as well as others. If they’re drinking a considerable amount before meeting up with others, they’ll look like they’re consuming just as much alcohol as their friends, but in reality, they’re masking an alcohol addiction.
Higher Tolerances
Similar to the “Pre-Gaming” alcoholic, higher tolerances or the ability to take more of a drug or alcohol with less of an effect can be a crucial sign to an addiction. This is due to extensive or abundant use of the drug or alcohol. Over time the human body absorbs the chemicals that produce the buzz or high into fat cells, and the body needs higher amounts of those chemicals to produce the same effect. People taking prescriptions might run out of their prescribed amounts of painkillers earlier than they should. They might be abusing the painkillers, or they’ve become over-reliant on the painkillers and they take more to fight pain. Either scenario can lead to trying heavier, more dangerous and more addictive drugs.
Where’s the Money Going
Being addicted to any drug or alcohol is not a cheap problem. Going to bars several times a night, drinking at home or taking expensive pills every day is not an economical hobby. If there are inexplicable financial problems, or missing money, an addiction could be the culprit. Addictions are not controllable impulses. When bills are being missed or family members hurt by financial problems, the addict can’t see how their addiction is causing those problems, and often will turn to taking more drugs or drinking more heavily. Money problems have harsh effects on families, so if an addiction is causing them, getting rehab is definitely a priority.
Oddly Clean Surroundings
This is one of the more odd signs that someone is facing an addiction and probably would best be cross-checked with other signs of addiction. Don’t hold an intervention for someone doing proper spring cleaning, but if someone is taking extreme care to disinfect, scrub, handle smells, wash hands or mask their breath with a frequency that doesn’t make proper sense, they may be trying to hide something. Some street drugs have toxic and smelly chemical residues that can be detected easily and need to be cleaned off one’s hands or out of a bathroom regularly.
Another side of this is someone that has left their surroundings in total disorder, unable to clean them or keep things together because of the addiction.
Paranoid Behavior
This is a fairly common side effect of stimulant drugs. It’s well known that marijuana causes paranoia, but it’s a behavior that can last more than a short time. If there’s an addiction, the amount of drugs being consumed by the person can actually change the mental state of someone and cause them to be persistently panicked. Any wildly altered moods or mood swings are another sign of addiction, but paranoia is a very common sign for addiction and is definitely a reason to look into a rehabilitation program.
Source:
Health.Yahoo.Net – 20 Secret Signs of Addiction – http://health.yahoo.net/caring/20-secret-signs-of-addiction