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Signs That You or Someone You Love Has an Addiction

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Signs that you or someone you love has an addiction

There’s no doubt that the best way to deal with an addiction is to enter treatment. According to Northeast Addictions Treatment Center, “Drug rehab or alcohol rehab programs provide the opportunity to escape addiction for good and to embrace a healthy lifestyle free of substance abuse and its accompanying problems.”

The trouble is, a treatment facility or program is only an option if you know you or someone you love has a problem.

Unfortunately, it isn’t usually as easy as finding a bag of illegal drugs in the nightstand drawer. Some chemical substances, like alcohol, are perfectly legal which means figuring out if they’re causing problems can be extremely difficult.

Here are a few signs that will help you determine if you or someone you love has an addiction that needs to be addressed.

Decrease in Work or School Performance

The first tip is to take a long, hard look at performance levels at work or in school. Less than stellar performance reviews and dropping grades can be a sign that there’s a problem.

Sometimes, it’s less obvious than that. It could be a change in concentration levels, showing up to class late, or even a change in that person’s interest levels that can indicate a drug problem.

Uncharacteristic Isolation

Isolation is a huge predictor of drug addiction. People who don’t have full lives, or people who don’t feel like they don’t have very many friends and family to turn to are more likely to turn to drugs and alcohol, and in turn, they will develop dependence issues.

However, this isn’t a hard and fast rule. There are plenty of people out there who develop an addiction who have busy lives and an extensive support system.

If someone who was once outgoing becomes quiet, or someone who normally wanted to hang out all the time suddenly becomes reclusive, it can be a sign of chemical dependence.

Engaging in Risky Behaviors

Identifying risky behaviors is one of the best ways to deduce if there’s a drug addiction problem, especially if a friend or a relative is in question. That’s because these people rarely see their actions as risky when it is so obvious to you.

A few risky behaviors to keep an eye open for include:

  • Drinking and driving
  • Increase in sexual activity
  • Increase in tobacco and alcohol use
  • Increase in exposure to deadly weapons

Dishonesty

Dishonesty is extremely common among drug addicted teens and adults, especially if money or valuables are being stolen. The challenge is being able to tell if someone is lying to you!

Looking at the eyes is the best way to tell if someone is lying to you, and if someone starts lying when they previously didn’t, a drug addiction could be to blame.

The first step to getting help is knowing there’s a problem. If you see any of the signs on this list in your own behavior or someone else’s, contact a rehab facility for advice on your next steps.