How To Identify Substance Abuse?

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Anyone can fall victim to substance abuse, but watching a family member succumb to it is harrowing. The repercussions are not optimistic whether someone dabbles in potentially addictive substances or has developed full-blown substance use. Even occasional contact with these harmful addictive drugs can lead to a severe substance abuse problem requiring outside intervention. Drugs are dangerous for the mind and body and can lead to death with time.

If you see that one of your loved ones has developed this tendency to use drugs, it is imperative to help them before it becomes a full-blown issue. But before you try to help someone, you must verify that the problem is severe substance abuse.

People with substance abuse show various noticeable signs and symptoms. By watching out for those signs, you can be sure of their inclination to substance abuse. Once you are sure of it, there is no harm in intervening or contacting professional help because your shyness can cost someone their life. If you are skeptical about someone developing a drug addiction, here are some signs that you look out for.

Behavioral symptoms

Drug addicts exhibit physical and behavioral problems. A person may experience sudden mood swings, withdraw from family members, and neglect personal development. Such people show no interest in developing healthy hobbies and neglect their responsibilities. Others also get involved in criminal activities like robberies.  If you are not sure if these behavioral changes mean an issue of substance abuse, you can turn to professional treatment facilities like Delphi Health Group who can offer customized treatment for all levels of addiction. Contacting professionals makes it easy for you to identify the issue and start the treatment as soon as possible.

Physical symptoms

Physical signs include bloodshed eyes, larger or smaller pupils than normal, runny noses, shakes and tremors, incoherent and slurred speech, and impaired coordination. You might feel that your friend or family member is sleeping too much or facing problems sleeping properly. Some people start losing weight dramatically; others develop health problems like skin and dental issues. Moreover, unusual body odors are also prominent physical signs of substance abuse. However, these signs can vary considerably depending on the type of substance used and mode of usage (injection, smoking, sniffing, etc.)

Other signs to identify substance abuse

A keen eye on behavioral and physical changes in your loved one can help you identify the problem and prevent it from going out of hand. But other signs can help you be more confident about your reservations.

The way someone approaches learning and other school activities may raise red flags about their proclivity for drugs. They may demonstrate declining grades or little interest in school-related activities. When they are working, they may show poor performance, appear tired, be absent or come late, and consequently get poor performance appraisals.

People taking drugs often want to hide their tendencies from others around them; hence, they may be demanding more privacy and get distant from their relationships. In such situations, you might want to look for things like spoons and syringes, resealable baggies used for keeping the drugs, pipes, plastic bottles, burnt foils, tampered cans, and other things like that. To buy these things, drug addicts need money. Therefore, coupled with these behaviors, you might frequently start losing money or other valuable items like jewelry in the house.

How to help your loved ones?

While it is valuable to know about these signs, your desire and efforts to help your loved one are equally essential. Initially, it can feel very daunting to confront someone about their drug use, but it goes without saying that they need your help, even if they don’t ask for it.

Addiction causes the best people to be the worst version of themselves. If you want to help them, you first need to understand their predicament. They may not be able to see the issue; therefore, your honest and non-judgmental behavior must make them realize the existence of a serious issue. Once you develop a certain rapport with your friends, talk about the implications of drug abuse, its impact on their life and family. Make them realize that even if they are not concerned about their lives or university grades, their loved ones suffer because of their addiction.

Moreover, help them make goals and stay optimistic about achieving them. Supporting and encouraging them for the little things they acquire will help them stay focused. Most importantly, make sure not to leave your friends when they slip up—understand that it will take some time for the thing to turn around completely. A person dealing with substance abuse is not sure if they can overcome this problem, but you can be a source of positive energy for them. So let them know you are with them but avoid using emotional approaches, preaching, or threatening them as you might push them away with your behavior.

Conclusion

Identifying the signs and symptoms of substance abuse are essential to know if your loved ones are going through this issue. Only after being sure of it can you get them the needed help. You can offer help by talking to them, making them realize the problem, and encouraging them to stay positive. But remember that your support is not sufficient to bring them back to their usual self, and seeking professional guidance and treatment is vital for a permanent recovery.