Drug abuse continues to increase in the United States, despite so much news coverage of overdose deaths. The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) reported in 2013 that 16.5 million Americans heavily drink alcohol and more than 24.5 million people have used illicit drugs in the prior month. So is the person you love one of these people? There are signs of drug use you can look for, to find out.
Physical Signs of Drug Use In Your Loved One
There are several ways you can detect signs of drug use in someone you love. Look for signs of drug use in their eyes, skin, and weight. Your loved one’s eyes show drug use signs in several ways. Look for tiny pupils, to know if they abuse opioids. If they use stimulants, their pupils dilate and conceal much of their colored iris. Someone using marijuana has red and glassy eyes. People show signs of drug use on their skin, too. They suffer bruises and needle marks if they inject their drugs. Sores develop from scratching, due to crystal meth use. Burn marks may appear on fingers and mouth due to smoking crack from a pipe. Skin appears yellow when the liver suffers damage from drug or alcohol abuse. Weight increases or decreases drastically for many people using drugs or alcohol. Marijuana causes weight gain due to reduced activity and motivation. Stimulant abuse reduces your appetite, causing malnourished for many people. Of course, weight change of any kind often points to problems like substance abuse.
Signs of Drug Use in Sleeping Patterns, Mood, Perceptions, and Behaviors
Sleeping habits and energy level changes are also signs of drug use and what to look for if you suspect your loved one has a drug problem. Days of high energy followed by a crash of sleeping for long periods indicates stimulant use. Nodding off possibly indicates depressant abuse. Mood changes from euphoria and pleasure to a crash of depression, anxiety or agitation show drug use. Delusions, confusion, hallucinations, and paranoia also point to drug use. Behaviors change in substance abuse, making your loved one someone you no longer recognize. They may become obsessive, compulsive, or secretive. They may also leave paraphernalia around their home, change their routine and disappear for long periods.
Helping Your Loved One Gain Recovery
If your loved one suffers an addiction to drugs or alcohol, sober recovery is still a possibility. They just need your help in making the decision to get addiction help. Serenity House Detox & Recovery in Fort Lauderdale and Jupiter, Florida provides supervised detox to make sobriety a reality. Serenity House Detox & Recovery provides a variety of detox programs, including:
- Men’s detox program
- Women’s detox program
- Medical detox
- Dual diagnosis treatment during detox
- Drug detox
- Alcohol detox
Call Serenity House Detox & Recovery now at 866-294-5306 for the help you and your loved one need.
