How to Recognize the Signs of Addiction: A Guide for Loved Ones
If you suspect your friend, partner, spouse, or other loved one is acting off or not like themselves, it could be due to drug or alcohol abuse, but it could also be caused by many other possibilities. So, how can we recognize the signs of addiction in the people closest to us? To truly understand what’s going on, it’s helpful to first understand the telltale signs that addiction could be to blame.
According to the Mayo Clinic, the symptoms of substance use disorder can include:
- Problems At School: When someone is addicted to a substance, they are more distracted and can’t focus as well as if they were sober. This can show up in lower grades or poor performance with being able to learn new material.
- Changes in Regular Behavior: This could range from becoming more secretive about seeing certain friends or having an emotional strain with relationships with family members.
- Problems with Money: People who have addictions will sometimes have money issues due to their spending on drugs or alcohol. They could also be in debt from spending too much on their addictive substances instead of more essential things like rent and utility bills. If there’s money missing from your wallet, it could be a sign that your loved one has resorted to stealing to pay for their addiction.
- Lack of Self-Care: Self-care looks different for every person, but it generally declines during battles with substance use disorder. This could include someone who used to sleep eight hours each night and now has a hard time getting enough sleep, or maybe the person is noticeably not keeping up with daily showers and regular hygiene.
Physical Signs of Opioid Addiction
As one of the leading causes of drug overdoses, according to the American Psychiatric Association and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids accounted for about 80,000 deaths in 2022. The feeling of euphoria is why many people end up becoming addicted to opioids. The good news is that help is available, such as residential drug rehab treatment at a top treatment facility like Resurgence Behavioral Health.
Even though there are overlaps with the more general signs of addiction, there are certain warning signs of opioid addiction in particular. Someone is considered to be addicted to opioids when they experience the following symptoms for 12 months:
- Taking a large dose of opioids over a long period.
- Not being able to cut down on opioid use.
- Spending a lot of time trying to obtain or use the opioid while also recovering from its effects.
- Using opioids continuously, in spite of recurring problems or social issues.
- A higher tolerance for opioids to get the same effect.
- Feeling withdrawal symptoms when not taking the opioids for some time.
The Impact of Drug Addiction
Drug addiction can directly impact your brain. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, addiction to drugs interferes with the functioning of the basal ganglia, extended amygdala, and prefrontal cortex — three parts of the brain that play an essential role in someone’s daily life. When drug addiction occurs, the basal ganglia overactivates the feeling of euphoria. This part of the brain specifically gives people positive forms of motivation that include eating, socializing, and sex. As for the impact on the extended amygdala, the person is alerted of stressful situations and feelings of anxiety and irritability. This increases when someone goes through withdrawal or the high fades. The prefrontal cortex is responsible for giving someone the ability to plan, think, solve problems, make decisions, and have self-control over impulsivity. This starts to lack in someone once they abuse and take drugs.
One of the main reasons someone gets addicted to drugs and shows the signs of addiction is the effect of feeling pleasure and high euphoria, also increasing the surge of the neurotransmitter dopamine. When dopamine levels surge, the neurotransmitter signals that this is something important happening and it needs to be remembered. This type of dopamine signal makes someone want to repeat that activity again to feel that effect again, which is what happens when someone has a drug addiction. When this is the case, it’s important for people to get professional help, whether it’s entering drug rehab or seeking dual diagnosis treatment or addiction and mental health conditions at the same time.
Treatment Options for Addiction
When people start to exhibit signs of addiction, they need to seek out addiction treatment. There are many different addiction treatment programs offered at Resurgence Behavioral Health. While everyone is different on what their needs are when going through addiction treatment, Resurgence Behavioral Health guides patients through a tailored treatment plan that directly works with their goals and what works best for them. Some of the addiction treatment options offered at Resurgence Behavioral Health are the following:
- Inpatient Rehab: This type of addiction program offers patients a sober place to stay while being treated for an extended amount of time. The time spent in the inpatient facility varies on the severity of addiction, possible underlying co-occurring mental health disorders, and what’s best for the patient.
- Outpatient Rehab: This addiction treatment takes place in an outpatient facility and is less intense than inpatient rehab. During outpatient care, the patient comes to a facility for regular treatment sessions, but then returns home. It’s a good option for people who are in school or work and can’t take much time away from their busy lives.
- Detox: Medical detox is often the first step to addiction treatment and getting closer to recovery. Patients need to be supervised during the whole process of detoxing from alcohol or dugs in case there are any complications or if they are in major distress and discomfort, which is why medical professionals are nearby the whole time.
- 12-Step Programs: As the name implies, this consists of 12 steps to assist people in overcoming addiction while working toward their goals. This specific technique is used in Alcoholics Anonymous but is also a great resource used at Resurgence Behavioral Health.
- Dual Diagnosis Treatment: This specific treatment program helps people heal from addiction and co-occurring mental health disorders at the same time. If they patient is struggling with substance use disorder and mental health conditions, dual diagnosis treatment can help.
Seek Support for Addiction Treatment at Resurgence Behavioral Health
When you recognize the signs of addiction and how they are affecting your loved one, it’s time to get professional help — and that should include evidence-based, effective addiction treatment. The longer you wait for them to go to rehab, the less quality time you’ll have with them after they overcome addiction. Resurgence Behavioral Health can provide support and guidance throughout the whole addiction treatment process start to finish for you and your loved ones. There’s hope for your loved one to get better once they are enrolled in treatment. It’s important to come from a place of love and support instead of being judgmental of your loved one’s substance use disorder. Call us today at 855-458-0050 to learn more about how we can help.
External Sources
National Institute on Drug Abuse — Drugs and the Brain
Mayo Clinic — Drug Addiction (Substance Use Disorder)
American Psychiatric Association — Opioid Use Disorder
