Signs of Drug Abuse

For a parent, child, employer or friend, the knowledge that a loved one may be abusing drugs is most assuredly difficult to accept. One can ponder the whys and hows of a close friend or family member becoming dependent on drugs and/or alcohol for a long time, and oftentimes people blame themselves for enabling others into what may seem an irreversible situation.

However, instead of placing blame or worrying about what to do, a loved one should take immediate action when drug abuse is suspected. Consulting a physician or healthcare professional with experience in drug rehabilitation is a necessary step.

Risk is not destiny. Just because drug abuse tends to run in families doesn't mean that a child of an addict will automatically become a drug abuser too. Some people develop drug abuse even though no one in their family has a drug problem. By the same token, not all children of drug abusing families get into trouble with drugs. Knowing you are at risk is important, though, because then you can take steps to protect yourself from developing problems with drugs.

Of course, one must be certain if drug abuse is actually happening. While some addicts may work to hide their behaviors, there are signs to watch for if you suspect a child, parent, co-worker or friend is abusing narcotics or alcohol. Some of the more obvious signals include but are not limited to:

Sudden mood changes, depression and listlessness, paranoia and withdrawal from friends and activities
Problems with concentration, short-term memory loss, twitching and jittery behavior
Change in appearance for the worse, disheveled clothes and hair, the distinct odor of marijuana is also an obvious sign
Redness or constant watering of the eyes, prolonged dilation of the pupils, constant sniffling
Possible sexual performance problems
Loss of appetite, rapid and unexplained weight loss, increased thirst and craving for sugary drinks
Unexplained financial problems, things missing around the house, having to always borrow money, unable to find work

A clearer understanding of the biological underpinnings of addiction is opening the way to better drugs. Scientists have identified a number of genes that confer a predisposition to alcohol and drug addiction. They have also found that the brain goes through profound changes when a person starts drinking to excess or abusing drugs.

While such symptoms are indicative of other illnesses unrelated to drug abuse, these remain fair warnings and should not be so easily dismissed. Watch your loved one's behavior carefully, ask questions and offer support. Most importantly, don't wait to take action if you are certain something is wrong. The longer you wait could increase the risk of health problems.

Under certain circumstances, the withdrawal symptoms that a dependent person can experience can be so severe that immediate medical treatment is required so that the person does not lose his or her life. The moral of the story, then, is this: all drug and alcohol addicts who decide to quit taking drugs or stop drinking need to get professional treatment, especially for the withdrawal symptoms that invariable will take place.

Stephanie Loebs is the executive director of Williamsburg Place, one of the top drug rehab clinics in the nation. Williamsburg Place aids those who suffer from drug and/or alcohol addiction, and specializes in caring for health care professionals. For over twenty years Williamsburg Place and its joint rehabilitation center, the William J. Farley Center, have helped thousands of people from all walks of life take back their lives and overcome substance abuse.

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According to the addiction research literature, rapid detox is a process of ridding the body of certain substances while the person is anesthetized and administered medications in a closely monitored and supervised medical setting. The 64 thousand question, however, is this: Does rapid detox "work" with alcoholism? Addiction research shows that for the present time, rapid detox has not been used for alcoholism and is specifically employed in detoxification situations with addicts who are dependent on opiates such as morphine, methadone, and heroin or addicted to prescription drugs such as Oxycontin, Vicodin, Codeine, Darvocet, and Percocet.

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