Signs of Addiction

Millions of Americans struggle with addiction to drugs and alcohol every day. Addiction is a disease of the mind, and it is characterized by many different signs and patterns of behavior. Despite negative consequences and failed efforts to stop or reduce use, drug addicts will continue to use. If you are wondering whether or not you have an addiction, or if you are worried about someone close to you that may be struggling with a drug or alcohol problem, there are a wide range of signs to look for.

Drug Addiction & Alcohol Addiction Signs

Addiction can destroy lives and in many cases lead to death or imprisonment due to drug and alcohol abuse. What may start out as recreational and occasional use can easily lead to increased tolerance and physical dependence. One of the primary characteristics of addiction to look for is the failure to resist the impulse to use. Temptation plays a huge part in addiction, and addicts find it difficult and sometimes even impossible to resist their urges to drink or take drugs. This compulsive behavior is developed over time as the condition worsens, and addicts can soon find themselves being under the influence most of if not all the time due to their lack of impulse control.

When addicts begin to realize that they have a problem, they try to stop or reduce their use, often with failed efforts. Despite suffering from health issues, problems with work or school, or alienating themselves from friends and family because of their addiction, addicts will continue to use. They may have periods of abstinence, sometimes for months or even years, but the addiction can come back at any time. When they do start to use again, the addiction is usually stronger and they use more. With continued use of drugs and alcohol, people begin to build up a tolerance. It takes increasingly more to get the initial effect each time. This can led to spending large amounts of money on drugs and alcohol and eventually having serious financial problems.

Addicts have a preoccupation with using drugs or drinking alcohol. It consumes their thoughts, and if they do not have access to substances, they may begin to suffer from withdrawal. Withdrawal symptoms can range from mild to severe, and they can even be fatal in some cases. These involve anxiety, depression, tremors, headaches, nausea, vomiting and even seizures. If you experience any of these symptoms when you are not under the influence or coming down from drugs or alcohol, you most likely have an addiction.

Physical & Behavioral Signs of Addiction

When people take drugs and alcohol for extended periods of time, they may begin to exhibit physical and outward signs of their addiction. These involve an overall decline in physical appearance, such as weight gain or loss, looking disheveled, poor hygiene, always looking tired, paleness, and even losing teeth with some types of drug use. Behavioral signs include being secretive or sneaky, being inaccessible for long periods of time, sleeping more or less than usual, and hanging out with people that also drink or use. Many of these behaviors result in no longer participating in normal activities and dropping them to drink or use instead.

Rehab

For most addicts, they cannot stop without professional help. There are thousands of drug rehab and alcohol rehab centers across the country. If you or someone you know is addicted to drugs or alcohol, there is help available. Many health care plans are also starting to cover the costs of drug and alcohol treatment as well. Since addiction has been recognized as a disease, health care organizations and medical professionals are treating it like one. Before your life or the life of someone close to you spirals out of control, looking into the options for rehab may be the best answer.

Opiate

Opiates are drugs that are derived from opium, or the poppy plant. There are many synthetically, or man-made, opiates as well. This includes codeine and morphine, among others. These drugs, both natural and synthetic, are highly addictive and can produce a physical dependence in the user in as little as one use. When opiates are used for a long-term period, if they are stopped abruptly and not tapered off, they can cause the body to suffer very serious withdrawal symptoms. Drug addiction rehab can help.

Most modern prescription painkillers are opiates. This is causing a very dangerous addiction epidemic on prescription medications. Heroin addiction and abuse is also on the rise, due to the similar effect this opiate provides on the mind and body. Opiates have been used for pain relief since long before people knew how they worked and what consequences they brought along. These drugs are derived from the white, milky substance that can be separated from the poppy plant's unripe seeds. This substance would dry into a sticky, brown gum that could and would be eaten. Over time, people discovered that instead of eating the extracted opium, they could smoke it. This produced a very strong high, or euphoric feeling. During the Civil War, morphine (a derivative of opium) use got way out of hand. Although it was obviously addictive, it worked extremely well for war wounds and fast-paced action, so the addictive qualities were swept under the rug. Finally, scientists went back to work and produced time-released opiate medications like Vicadin and Oxycontin. If these medications are only used for a short period of time and are not abused, they can act very well as pain relief. However, these drugs are widely and highly abused, and usually result in a serious addiction.

Having an opiate drug addiction is a serious health risk. When this drug abuse occurs, a “high” is achieved, which is the main attraction for the drug addiction abuse. Because of the addiction to opiates, the user ignore all of the negative consequences that can occur. Opiate addiction can cause respiratory failure, high blood pressure, heart attack, coma, and even death. Many individuals who suffer from this drug addiction also suffer extreme psychological dependence and problems because of opiates. They may feel the need to take opiates just to feel normal.

This addiction, like most, is not curable. However, through the right treatment center, any addiction can be worked with. Any individual can overcome their dependence, either chemical or psychological or both, on drugs and alcohol. Statistics show that relapse is very common for individuals with an opiate addiction. Relapse is never anyone's fault, and it only encourages the abuser to remember why they need to live a sober life. Many addicts do not want to go to treatment because they are dreading the withdrawal. However, withdrawal is rarely fatal, just extremely uncomfortable. For those who need it, medications such as methadone or Suboxone are available to help lessen the pain and uncomfortability of withdrawal. If you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction to opiates, you are not alone. There are many out there just like you who are getting help for their problem. Join them!