Signs of Drug Addiction

Drugs are chemicals that have a profound impact on the neurochemical balance in the brain which directly affects how you feel and act. People who are suffering emotionally use drugs, not so much for the rush, but to escape from their problems. They are trying to self-medicate themselves out of loneliness, low self-esteem, unhappy relationships, or stress.  This is a pattern that too often leads to drug abuse and addiction.

Find out how to recognize the signs and symptoms of drug abuse or addiction in yourself or someone you care about. When these problems are faced and thoughtfully addressed, there is hope for overcoming drug abuse and addiction.

What happens when you take drugs whether prescription drugs or street drugs?

Drug abuse addiction or substance abuse, involves the repeated and excessive use of prescription or street drugs. In one way or another, almost all drugs over stimulate the pleasure center of the brain, flooding it with the neurotransmitter dopamine which produces euphoria. That heightened sense of pleasure can be so compelling that the brain wants that feeling back, again and again.

These drugs cause increased energy, rapid heart rate and elevated blood pressure, but they also produce racing thoughts and make you feel overly-stimulated. Continued use causes rapid breathing, irritability, impulsiveness, aggression, nervousness, insomnia, weight loss, tolerance, addiction, and possible heart failure. These drugs also cause an impairment in cognitive functioning which negatively affects memory and impacts the ability to learn. 

Signs and symptoms of drug ABUSE

Health and behavior:
*Continuing to use drugs even though you have health problems that are affected or caused by your drug use
*Irritability, anger, hostility, fatigue, agitation, anxiety, depression, psychosis (seeing or hearing things that are not there), lack of coordination, difficulty concentrating

Financial and legal issues: 
*Paying bills late, collection agencies calling, inability to keep track of your money
*Being arrested, doing things that you would normally not do, such as stealing to obtain drugs

Employment or school:
*Continuing to use drugs even though you realize your job or education is in jeopardy
*Missing work or school, or going in late due to drug use

Family and friends: 
*Feeling annoyed when other people comment on, or criticize your use of drugs
*Feeling remorse or guilt after using drugs
*Associating with questionable acquaintances or frequenting out of the ordinary locations to purchase or use drugs

Social life:
*Scheduling your day around using drugs
*Focusing recreational activities around obtaining drugs, using drugs, or recovering from drug use  
*Using drugs when alone

Signs and symptoms of Cannabis use (Marijuana and Hashish): 
*Heightened visual and auditory perceptions and increased sensitivity in taste
*Increased appetite
*Problems with memory, difficulty concentrating, paranoid thinking
*Decreased coordination, slowed reaction time
*Bloodshot eyes, elevated blood pressure, increased heart rate

Signs and symptoms of drug DEPENDENCE

*Cravings and relapse: 
*Strong and overwhelming desire to use your drug of choice at a specific time of day or several times a day
*Drug seeking behaviors
*Trying to stop using the drug but failing more than once
*Feeling that you must have the drug to deal with your problems

Tolerance: 
*In order to feel the same effect, using more of the drug than intended and using the drug more frequently

Withdrawal symptoms:
*Cocaine: Agitation, insomnia, anxiety, depression, anger, cravings, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, shakes, irritability, muscle pain
*Anti-anxiety medications: Sleeplessness, irritability, anxiety, feeling shaky, headache, dizziness, loss of appetite, and in extreme cases, seizures
*Heroin: Dilated pupils, goose bumps, watery eyes, runny nose,  yawning, chills, nausea, muscle cramps, stomach cramps,  diarrhea, vomiting, shakes, sweats, feeling jittery, irritable, panic, tremors
*Methamphetamine: Fatigue, disturbed sleeping patterns, irritability, intense hunger, moderate to severe depression, anxiety, psychotic reactions

Effects on memory and motivation:
*Impairments in learning, memory and cognitive functioning
*Losing interest in activities and hobbies that were once pleasurable

Risky behavior: 
*Sharing needles
*Having unsafe sex

Treatment options for drug abuse and addiction

Learn more about our drug treatment program, including rehab and peer support groups. With new ways of coping with life's problems, without the use of drugs, the tight grip of addiction will begin to loosen its hold. Recovery is possible with the right medical help and support.

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