Knowing how to tell if someone is high isn’t always easy, but it’s important to know the signs so you can help. Addiction is a family disease, which means that many of the loved ones involved have their lives affected as well. Whether it’s your child, spouse, parent, friend or even co-worker, you may begin to have issues in your life because of a person’s addiction. Sometimes the signs of addiction can be very subtle, but it’s important to catch them early on.
Addiction is a progressive disease, so you’ll be able to help the most if you’re able to see signs of substance abuse early on. A person will often begin abusing substances on a regular basis before they become addicted. They may begin showing different social signs that they’ve been drinking or using drugs that you can watch for. In some cases, the signs will be physical as well.
Social Signs of How to Tell if Someone is High
Some of the most popular substances that people abuse include alcohol and opiates, which are depressants. Those who begin abusing depressants, which can include marijuana as well, will become more withdrawn. Someone who may have been very active socially and engaging with friends and family will begin isolating. This can be for a variety of reasons, but often the person wants to be alone to enjoy their high.
There are some drugs or effects of specific drugs that work in the opposite way. Stimulants like meth and cocaine give a person a sense of power and energy. Someone abusing stimulants may become much more social than they’ve ever been. Not only will the person talk a lot more, but they may also see themselves in grandiose ways.
Physical Signs of How to Tell if Someone is High
To spot the physical signs of someone who is high, you need to know about the different methods people use. People use drugs in different ways, so the signs may be different depending on the person’s preference. For example, the prescription drug epidemic in the United States is worse than it’s ever been. Some of the different ways a person can use these drugs include:
Orally
Crushed and snorted
Smoked
Injected
People begin using drugs in different ways because they are looking for a faster, stronger high. Unexplainable track marks or bruising, is a common sign that someone has been injecting the drug. If the person is injecting the drug, the arms, legs or neck may have track marks. Snorting drugs is another common method and this will cause a person to sniff much more than usual.
Recognizing the Symptoms of Withdrawal – How to Tell if Someone is High
One of the best ways of how to tell if someone is high is recognizing the symptoms of withdrawal. Substance abuse begins to create a physical and mental dependence to the substance. When a person runs out of the drug or alcohol, they will begin to show signs of withdrawal that are easy to spot. No matter what type of substance a person uses, they can experience these noticeable signs of withdrawal.
A person who is going through withdrawal of drugs or alcohol is going to show drastic mood swings. One moment a person may be in a great mood and later they’ll be very irritable. The drugs or alcohol bring a person up, but the lack of the substance can make a person very irritable. During these types of mood swings, the person may be verbally abusive or very isolated.
The reason irritability and mood swings happen is because the mind is starting to believe the person needs the substance. Addiction affects a part of the brain responsible for pleasure and survival. When the substance leaves the system, the person doesn’t know how to deal with life in a regular way. They may also have intense cravings that they can’t avoid or control.
The physical symptoms of withdrawal are very noticeable as well. Typically, the physical signs of withdrawal will happen with depressants. Those who have been abusing alcohol or opiates can become very sick during withdrawal. These symptoms can include a flu-like state, nausea, sweating, fatigue, body tremors and more. A person in withdrawal will often just want to stay in bed until the symptoms go away.
Finding Help for Your Loved One
If you’ve realized that someone you care about has developed a problem with drugs or alcohol, you can help. Sometimes it can be difficult to approach a person who has a substance abuse problem, but they typically want help. The first thing to remember is that you’re not dealing with a bad person. They are suffering from an illness. Believe it or not, simply bringing up the idea of substance abuse treatment may be all it takes.
Serenity House Detox & Recovery is here to help you and your loved one begin the healing process with drug and alcohol detox. This is the first step in the recovery process because the drugs or alcohol are clouding the mind and body. The symptoms of withdrawal can be quite dangerous, so we’re here to provide your loved one with medical attention in an affordable detox. We’ll be with them throughout the process with care and support.
Our facility uses the latest in addiction treatment medication to help keep your loved one safe and comfortable. This process allows your loved one to begin a foundation of recovery that they can build on. We’ll provided your loved one with some treatment while they’re here, but we’ll also provide them with more resources for help. Call Serenity House Detox & Recovery to talk to an addiction counselor if you need more information about how to tell if someone is high, or you are ready to get the ball rolling towards recovery. The number is 866-294-5306.
