Recognizing drug addiction symptoms can be extremely important. Being knowledgeable about what might signal a real problem can help individuals recognize when they need to get the help. For those who do not personally take drugs, knowing the symptoms of drug addiction may alert them to what might be a serious problem being experienced by a friend, family member or acquaintance. Drug addiction symptoms may differ from person to person.
However, there are some general ones that are universally indicative of drug addiction. We will discuss a number of them below.
a. A strong, continuous desire for the drug: Persons that have a strong, continual desire to take drugs may be addicted to drugs and require drug addiction help or intervention.
b. Unexplained disappearances: People with a drug addiction problem may disappear either without explanation or have excuses that doesn’t really make sense. They may be somewhere getting high or binging.
c. Willingness to spend money that one can’t afford on drugs: Individuals that spend money they can not afford on drugs may be addicts.
d. Deception: Drug addicts often lie to cover up activities such as getting high or drumming up money to get a fix. They may also attempt to borrow money from family members and friends by lying about what they plan to use it for..
e. Theft and illicit activities to obtain drugs: Some drug addicts will start engaging in illicit or illegal activities in order to get money for drugs. They may begin stealing from loved ones and/or strangers. Robbery and prostitution are also common ways for people who don’t have the money to buy drugs, to earn it.
f. A decline in physical appearance: Some people that are addicted to drugs will begin to let their appearance go. They may stop bathing, combing their hair and begin to generally look un-kept. If a person who always took personal pride in their appearance suddenly begins to stop caring about how they look, this could be a sign that they have a drug problem.
g. Lack of concern for family and friends: One symptom that is common among addicts is that they seem to stop caring about their family or friends. They may appear to no longer have regard for their thoughts, feelings or desires. No longer wanting to spend time with them is another symptom. Some people with children may stop feeding and clothing young children and babies.
Drug addiction symptoms may differ based on the addict. While some people may not be able to go a single day without their drug(s) of choice, others can wait a few days but still very much be an addict. Though there will obviously be some differences because people aren’t the same, there are many common drug addiction symptoms that are indicative of a person being an addict in need of drug addiction help.
They include a continual desire to take drugs, unexplained absences, lying, no longer caring about ones’ appearance, alienating one’s self from family members and/or friends, deception and the willingness to score drugs without regard to legality and self respect.