3 Signs Of Addiction

All addictions, whether they are to drugs or to behaviours, are caused by physical or mental processes. Each person's addiction is a little bit different, but there are some common signs to look out for. These include changes in behaviour like lying, extreme mood changes, and switching social groups, as well as changes in weight, sleep, and energy levels. Read on to find out more about the signs of addiction so you can either help yourself or a loved one when they need it. 

 

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Seeking Out

It might start out just on the weekends or at a regular happy hour, but it's a problem when someone spends too much time and effort looking for their drug of choice or finding ways to indulge in their addictive behavior. You should also think about why they want to use drugs: Is it because your coworkers or friends put you under a lot of pressure? Or do they use drugs to get away from stress or hard times, or do they really need the drugs to feel better? Context is important, and as the addiction grows, people may feel strong urges or cravings for the drug.

 

Opioid addiction is on the rise, and doctors frequently discuss methods for identifying drug-seeking patients. Those with a dependency on pain relievers, for example, may deliberately increase their discomfort or visit multiple medical professionals and pharmacies in order to satisfy their drug cravings.

 

Neglecting Responsibilities 

In the beginning stages of addiction, a person may feel like they can keep their normal life and drug use or behaviors in balance. But as addiction gets worse, the addiction will come before work, relationships, or other personal responsibilities. When people start using new drugs, they are more likely to hang out with other people who do the same things. People in this group will then defend or make excuses for irresponsible behaviour because they only care about themselves.

 

Take a second look at people you know if you notice that they seem to have lost interest in things that used to be important to them or if they are always calling in sick or canceling plans. It could be that they need professional help such as rehab or sex therapy if their problem is a behaviour rather than a substance. 

 

Increased Tolerance 

Tolerance is another easy-to-watch sign of drug use that comes from observing the person. When a drug is used over and over again, the body builds up a natural defense against it. Because of this, people keep upping their doses to get the same effect that they remember from when they first started using.

 

Notice if your resistance or the resistance of people you know goes up. Be careful about using prescription painkillers for a long time or taking more and more of them over time. When it comes to recreational drugs, one easy way to tell if your tolerance has increased is if you have to spend more to get high or if you have to use other drugs to make your drug of choice work better.

*This is a collaborative post*