Signs and Symptoms of Drug Addiction

Identifying the signs of hidden drug use in the early stages of addiction can help prevent many damaging effects of this disease. It can be easy to ignore signs that your family member is on drugs, just as it is hard for an individual to acknowledge their own developing addiction. However, by recognizing the ways that drug abuse changes appearance, behavior, and daily habits, we can intervene when it is most effective to do so.

Recognizing the Signs of Hidden Drug Use

A functioning drug addict has symptoms of early addiction that can be seen by those who care about them. The closer your relationship, the more likely you are to notice the physical, psychological, and behavioral signs of drug use in a spouse or loved one. A self-aware individual might spot these symptoms in themselves and seek treatment before friends or family notice these signs.

Physical Signs of Drug or Alcohol Use

The body reacts in predictable ways to the presence of drugs or alcohol, and these symptoms may become more noticeable over time or with habitual use. A functioning drug addict may hide symptoms to avoid detection, using eye drops, makeup, caffeine, mouthwash, breath mints, and over the counter medications to mask these physical signs of substance use:^1,2

• Eye problems, including tiny pupils, dilated pupils, drooping eyelids, or red and glassy eyes
• Skin problems like needle marks, bruising, burns, skin sores that do not heal, and skin flushing red on the face, ears, or neck
• Problems with teeth, which may become loose or decay rapidly
• Weight changes, dramatically in either direction, which indicate inactivity or malnutrition
• Sleeping patterns changing, sleeping at strange times of the day or night, or refusing to sleep
• Dramatic changes in energy level from one day, or even one hour, to the next
• Persistent cough, runny nose, fatigue, nausea, shaking, or unexplained illness

Behavioral Signs of Hidden Drug Use

Drugs and alcohol affect how the brain functions, impacting our mood, perceptions, and behaviors. Add to this the drive to hide drug use in order to avoid the negative consequences of being discovered, and a set of behavioral clues may appear:^1,2

• Rapidly changing moods, ranging from euphoria to anger, anxiety, or deep depression
• Seeming out of touch with reality, hearing voices, hallucinating, denying their actions, or missing time
• Being obviously secretive, lying about their activities, stealing, withdrawing large amounts of cash, or being without funds despite a steady income
• Changing social circles, style of dress, personality, beliefs, and values
• Unexplained departures, strange phone conversations, missed responsibilities
• Hiding stashes of drugs, alcohol, or paraphernalia, including scales, papers, small plastic bags, or foil packages

What Can You Do if You See These Signs of Addiction?

If you are seeing the signs of drug use in a spouse, partner, friend, or family member, your support will be an important factor in helping them recognize their need for treatment. Ignoring the signs your family member is using drugs or alcohol will only allow the disease of addiction to become more severe.

Trust your instincts and speak to the experts to decide how to discuss your concerns with the person you care about. At Yellowstone Recovery, we have a wealth of resources that will help you start the conversation and succeed in helping your loved one seize the opportunity to heal and find lasting recovery with us. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help.

Sources:

1. https://drugabuse.com/warning-signs-of-drug-abuse/
2. https://www.verywellmind.com/symptoms-of-addiction-22244