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Drug Abuse
Signs and Symptoms
Drug abuse has become one of
the prominent challenges among the youth of today across the globe.
Often, parents are unaware of this habit that is getting established
in their teen. At such instances, it becomes critical for all to understand
the signs and symptoms of drug abuse. Once we become aware of these,
it would be easy to understand whether some one around you is on the
verge of getting into a regular habit. Once we get to know this, we
can do our best to get that person out of this bad habit with ease.
What is Drug Abuse?
When a kid grows up, it gets
to know the good and bad around the world. The kid passes through the
different stages in life namely the infancy, childhood, teenage, adolescence
and adulthood. When the childhood phase is on, the individual is exposed
to several external factors other than the home environment.
At this stage, he gets exposed
to drugs usually because of peer pressure, uncontrollable pain or with
the aim of forgetting the bad part of his life’s happenings.
Some tend to try it out once
and the next time, they become eager to get the feeling of high. This
continues that very often they become drug addicts.
When the habit of drug intake
continues and when the individual gets into a scenario where he cannot
live without the intake of the next dose of the drug or when he is into
a situation where he is ready to do anything and everything to get the
next does of the drug, he is said to have become a drug addict.
Go through the following article
to understand the drug abuse signs and symptoms n detail. Get to know
them and help those around you who seem to have these signs. Detection
and prevention is always better than searching for a cure.
Drug Abuse
–Whys is this bad?
Drug addiction is considered
unacceptable mainly due to the dependency it develops. The chemicals
in the drug not only spoil the health of the individual but also destroy
the organs within the body one by one.
In the long run, the increased
tolerance and uncontrollable dependency proves to be fatal too. The
drug addict not only spoils his life but becomes the cause of running
his family. As such, drug addiction is something unacceptable.
Physical
Mental and Emotional Drug Abuse Signs and Symptoms
- Sudden loss or an
enormous increase in appetite can be taken as a sign of drug habituation
- A sudden change
in the normal behavior such as talking too much or becoming too silent
all of a sudden is a sure sign of drug abuse
- Loosing interest
and reduction in the active participation in activities that were once
very interesting can be the start of drug addiction problem.
- Absence at work
or school is yet another sign of frequent drug usage.
- Hanging out with
a new set of friends and avoiding the old ones can be considered as
a probable sign
- Lying at home for
hanging out and coming home late at odd times after hanging out with
friends regularly can be sure shot sign of drug addiction.
- Sudden changes in
dressing which include the usage of long sleeved shirts can even be
considered as a drug abuse symptom. The long sleeve usually is helpful
in hiding the drug injection piercing that is visible on skin.
- A sudden reduction
in concentration levels and lack of coordination in activities that
are a part of daily routine can be due to recent drug addiction in that
individual.
- Pledging anything
and everything just to get the next dosage of the drug is yet another
symptom of addiction.
- Getting involved
in illegal acts of theft just to get the drug dose is a sure shot symptom
of drug abuse.
- Red eyes, elevated
body temperatures, fatigue and unnecessary anger can be causes of drug
addiction.
- Psychosis, delusions,
hallucinations can arise due to continue use of drugs.
- Uncontrollable yearning
to get the drug and have the same is a sign of regular and chronic drug
usage.
- Dilated pupils,
insomnia, panic tremors, nausea and unusual muscle cramps can be due
to frequent drug intake
- Memory impairment,
hearing loss or slurred speech are signs that can tell that individual
frequently consumes drugs.
- Reduced reflex,
sudden enthusiasm in doing the daily routine, hyperactive taste buds
are signs of chronic drug habituation.
- Excessive sleep
which is unusual can be attributed as a sign of addiction
- In case of smokers,
prolonged bronchitis is a sure shot sign of regular drug consumption.
- In case of snorters,
unusual nose bleeding and prolonged sinusitis can be considered as the
foretokens of drug habituation.
- Drug appurtenance
found in the surrounding of the individual can reveal the drug addiction
in the person with ease. Smoked pipes, injection needles and roach clips
are some of the very common ones used in this context.
- Loosing interest
in looking handsome/beautiful and a sudden tendency to borrow lots of
money and unexplained debts can be due to drug habituation
- Reluctance to take
part in social events and staying isolated amidst a group or amidst
a family get together can be an augury of drug abuse.
- Failure of the functioning
of the liver can be a late sign of drug intake
- Falling into the
trap of credit and inflow or outflow of unaccountable money can be attributed
to drug usage.
- Frequent health
problems and surrounding recreational activities with getting access
to drugs can be a sign that would lead to severe addiction on the long
run.
- A guilty feeling
regarding the regular drug intake in the individual which in turn can
lead to mental stress if often due to chronic drug intake.
- Inability to get
out of drug intake even after trying hard for several times is yet another
symptom of drug habituation.
- Increased tolerance
levels are a clear indicator of regular drug intake. When an individual
starts taking drugs, he gets the so called ‘high feeling’/. With
time, his craving increases and he tends to take more quantity of the
drug to get the same extent of ‘high’ feeling in him. At such instances,
his tolerance levels for the drug increases. In the long run, this type
of addiction would emphatically result in unbearable withdrawal symptoms.
- Blackouts do indicate
drug usage. Forgetting something that has happened for a few hours amidst
the hectic daily routine and trying to recollect what had happened is
usually due to drug intake.
- A sudden concern
raised from friends or colleagues at office regarding the drug habits
of the individual shoots out the possibility of drug addiction.
Effects of Drug Addiction
- Deterioration of
health due to the accumulation of chemicals within the body
- Loss of personal
relationship
- Distressed finance
- Induction to opt
for stealing to get money
- Spoiled rapport
with colleagues and mangers at office due to missed deadlines or frequent
absence.
- Tarnished social
relationship
- Tendency to drain
the money in hand
- Sudden urge to borrow
money just to get the next dose of the drug
- Firing from the
current employment in the long run due to non performance
- Family into irrecoverable
loss and stress and much more
What is that you can do
if you find Your Friend into Drug addiction?
If you see your beloved friend
getting addicted to drugs, there are so many things that you can do
to him
- First and foremost,
try to talk to him directly and make him understand the long term effects.
- Convince him to
get a few counseling sessions and get him involved in a self help group.
Take him to a doctor if possible.
- If he resists this
type of help, talk to a psychiatrist in your area and get help on approaching
him regarding withdrawal.
- Put a word to his
parents and get support from them in this regard.
- Even when differences
in opinion arise due to this interference of yours, be patient. Wait
for him to understand the problems involved.
- Get him admitted
at a rehabilitation center.
- Once he is out of
the rehabilitation process, help him in continuing with the sober living.
- Ensure that he is
not into any relapse.
- If there is a problem
of dual diagnosis, get him treated for the mental illness and the drug
addiction in parallel. If this is not done, cure would not be quick
and easy.
- Emotionally and
morally, boost his confidence. Try to find the trigger of the drug abuse
and ensure that he no longer gets into the triggering scenarios in future.
Educate his parents about the triggers.
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