Are you worried that someone you love is dealing with an issue, but you’re not sure if your intuition is right? It’s challenging to tell if someone uses drugs and what the signs pointing to it are if you’ve never dealt before with substance abuse in your family.
It often hits you unaware that someone you love, a child, sister, brother, spouse, or close friend has a substance problem. Most times, it hits you like a shock. How did this happen, and you missed it? How didn’t you notice the changes in their behavior? You may have had your suspicions, but you didn’t think the issue is so severe. Not all substance use cases imply addiction. In fact, drug addiction is a mix of factors, and not all times the patient needs rehabilitation treatment to improve their state.
To determine whether your loved one is struggling with substance addiction or drug use, check the following signs that indicate a dependence issue.
They lose interest in things they loved, are apathetic and complacent
It’s easily noticeable when your loved ones no longer find their hobbies interesting. Someone typically a gym freak and loves to be active can lose interest when they abuse alcohol or drugs because they no longer have the energy to work out. They don’t enjoy their skills, talents, and hobbies they once loved. They don’t find them important anymore and prefer to spend time isolated inside their room or house. Their attention has turned to feed their addiction, and they are apathetic towards everything else.
Physical signs
Another noticeable sign is their physical appearance. When someone abuses drugs or alcohol, they have injection marks on their arms or legs, dilated pupils, bloodshot eyes, puffy face, itching, sniffling, and unusual skin color. They may try to hide some of these signs by wearing long-sleeved clothes and makeup, but once complacency sets in, they ignore that someone may find out they abuse a substance. If you notice these signs in your loved one, try to convince them to see treatment in a drug rehab Los Angeles CA because they need help to get clean.
Rapid mood swings
To determine if your loved one has suffered a mood change, you need to consider what is normal for them. Some people are moody without using drugs. But when someone who is usually calm and collected gets violent and aggressive or loses control quicker than usual, it may be a substance abuse sign. Drug use can change people’s behavior and mood, so someone who is usually cheerful and pleasant can become depressive and anxious when the drug takes over their body and mind. Rapid mood swings are always a red flag; even if your loved one doesn’t use substances, it can point out to an emotional issue.
You can easily spot an erratic behavior in someone because they’re not typical for the individual. Some of their actions can even become dangerous for themselves or others when they’re under the influence. We hope the above lines can help you determine if your loved one needs professional help.
