Do you think you might know someone who is suffering from drug addiction? You may find it difficult to confront someone you love about their drug use. Yet for many people suffering with drug addiction, they often feel alone and neglected and may not know that someone is willing to help them take that first step towards recovery. Becoming aware of the characteristics of a drug user will help you make positive changes in someone else’s life.
A dependence on drugs causes extreme mental, physical, and emotional changes and can lead to an array of chronic health problems. Individuals who are mentally and physically dependent on drugs show compulsive behaviors and experience impaired levels of thinking and behaving. Drugs destroy the mind, body, and soul and inhibits individuals from reaching their full potential.
It is essential to understand the characteristics of a drug user because it can be life changing for the suffering individual. Recognizing the vital signs of a drug user can make the difference between lifelong dependence and leading a healthy and fulfilling life. The only way to truly restore the mind, body, and soul for drug users is to recognize the following signs and seek effective treatment immediately.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, the following are key physical, behavioral, and emotional signs of a drug user:
Physical Signs
Using drugs over a prolonged period of time actually alters the normal chemicals in the brain and inhibits a person’s ability to function normally. In addition to respiratory, cardiac, and circulatory health problems, individuals who show signs of drug addiction will also display the following physical signs:
- Feelings of tiredness.
- Drastic weight changes.
- Bloodshot or glassy eyes.
- Bruises or infections from using needles.
- Shakiness or jumpiness.
- Deterioration in hygiene.
- Unkempt physical appearance.
Behavioral Signs
Drug seeking behaviors become evident when you notice that the individual has lost their sense of self and place. Drug users get trapped in a cycle of denial and display the following behavioral signs:
- Has outbursts of anger or frustration.
- Displays Irritability.
- Engages in risk taking behaviors.
- Lies or makes deceitful comments.
- Denies drug seeking behaviors.
- Changes social groups.
- Loses control in social settings.
- Spends a lot of money on drugs.
- Shows an inability to complete daily work or home responsibilities.
- Struggles with maintaining meaningful relationships.
- Displays a loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities.
- Removes religious or spiritual connection.
Emotional Signs
Individuals who are struggling with drugs may show unstable emotional changes on a daily basis. They have increasingly become physically and mentally dependent on their drug and have difficulty maintaining a sense of stability and normalcy in their social environments. Individuals crave the substance and may have built up a tolerance which prompts them to seek more of the drug. The following emotional signs will help you recognize that your loved one is suffering:
- Shows drastic personality changes.
- Experiences intense mood swings.
- Displays impaired thinking and judgement.
- Struggles with symptoms of depression or anxiety.
- Loses the ability to manage emotions after a traumatic experience.
Choose a “Whole Person” Approach
Finding the strength and willpower to take action when you recognize the signs of a drug user will help your loved one seek early treatment and avoid a relapse in the future. Choosing a treatment center that focuses on a “whole-person approach” will ensure that your loved one’s mind, body, and soul will be recovered and renewed.
Effective treatment for drug addiction that includes an individually designed treatment plan, individual and group therapy sessions, and a wide-range of program options administers hope to the individual to fully recover from their drug addiction.
When choosing the right treatment center, individuals must look for a facility that focuses on the “whole-person approach” to helping patients fully restore their mind, body, and spirit from addiction.
Covenant Hills Treatment is a faith-based addiction treatment facility in Orange County, California and San Antonio, Texas. Covenant Hills emphasizes a whole person approach to care and clients work with pastors, therapists, and counselors who are professionally trained in the Christian-based treatment program. Staff help individuals connect to a larger community of God and support the process of finding purpose again in one’s life beyond their addiction.
Do you need help, or is a loved one struggling with addiction? Please call us today at (800) 662-2873 for a free assessment. This is a confidential call. One simple call can change your life.
