Overcoming Drug Addiction

What Are the Symptoms and Signs of Drug Addiction?

It can be difficult to distinguish what constitutes as dependency or addiction when it comes to drug abuse. Some of the symptoms of drug addiction will be apparent, while others aren’t as easy to discern.

A person who is suffering from drug addiction will begin to experience withdrawal symptoms when they quit. They will also find they’ve developed a tolerance to a substance, which means they will need increasing amounts to achieve the effect of getting high. A person with an addiction will also find they crave the drug with increased intensity when they’re not using.

Behavioural changes in people who are addictive can become apparent rather quickly. Excessive drug use completely changes who a person is. While these changes will be gradual, things to look for include: engaging in risky or dangerous behaviour while under the influence, hanging out with people they normally wouldn’t, disregarding activities they once enjoyed, neglecting responsibilities at home, work, or school, and isolating themselves from others.

Physical changes in a person abusing drugs will also become apparent the longer their drug use continues. People suffering from a drug addiction usually don’t have much regard for anything aside from their drug use, which is why their physical appearance will tend to take a turn for the worse. Weight loss is common amongst drug addicts, as drug use tends to take precedence over proper nutrition. Extreme cases of drug addiction will cause an ashen, sallow appearance, sickly skin tone, and rotting teeth and gums. Track marks from intravenous needle use are also a common indication of drug use amongst addicts.

What Are the Difficulties of Overcoming Drug Addiction?

What are Common Symptoms of Withdrawal?

While the symptoms a person will face when they are coming off drugs are dependent on how serious their addiction is, withdrawal symptoms are also contingent on the type of drug that is being used. There are however, common traits associated with drug withdrawal. These include:

• Cold sweats
• Shaking
• Nausea
• Abdominal pain
• Muscle pain
• Mood swings
• Depression and extreme anxiety
• Confusion and disorientation
• Paranoia and/or hallucinations
• Flu and cold-like symptoms when an individual isn’t sick
• Slurred speech and chattering teeth

Noticing any of these signs in yourself or someone you care about is a serious indication that there is a problem with drug abuse. The severity of a person’s symptoms will be completely dependent on the unique nature of their own addiction, but knowing the common signs to look for can be lifesaving.

An addiction to drugs can do irreversible damage to a person’s life. And overdose is also an unfortunate reality of drug addiction that no one wants to face. Recognising the signs of drug withdrawal is important before it’s too late.

How Does Drug Addiction Ruin Relationships?

The ability to maintain positive, healthy relationships begins to deteriorate when a person is suffering from a drug addiction. The trust, communication, honesty, and joy that are a part of normal, healthy relationships often become too difficult for the addict to maintain. Once a person is suffering from addiction, relationships tend to be pushed aside as they focus more and more of their attention on their drug use.

Isolation from the people an addict has close relationships with is common. Lies often become the norm, making the other person in the relationships begin to lose their trust in their addicted loved one. Abuse is another unfortunate way that drug addiction can destroy relationships. Violence and anger aren’t uncommon amongst people with an addiction, which is something that can put people close to the addict in serious danger.

What Is Denial?

Denial is a term used to describe people who don’t believe they have a problem with drug abuse. For someone in denial, their drug addiction isn’t the cause of their problems. They most likely believe that they can “stop at any time.” Denial is often used as a coping mechanism, as people who are addicted to drugs don’t want to see the reality of their situation.

A person who is in denial about their addiction isn’t necessarily lying when they say they don’t believe they have a problem. Sometimes a person’s denial can be so intense that they truly believe their drug use has nothing to with the issues they face in their life. If you or someone you love is in denial about your addiction to drugs, it is important to realise the extent of the addiction before it’s too late.

The Underlying Issues that Keep People Addicted to Drugs

Not everyone who does drugs will become an addict. For those that do, it’s important to understand that there are often underlying emotional or psychological issues that make a person more prone to substance abuse, which can ultimately lead to addiction.

Most addiction stems from pain caused by various degrees of trauma. The more traumatic an experience or an increased number of traumatic experiences in a person’s lifetime, the more likely they are to develop an addiction to drugs.

Getting treatment for addiction can help a person uncover these traumatic experiences that have led to their current state of drug addiction. Through various therapy sessions and treatment modalities, a person in treatment can better understand the causes of their addiction, which in turn can help them better overcome them.

Getting Help for Drug Addiction

Drug addiction is a disease that most often requires professional help to overcome. This is because addiction is multi-faceted and must be treated on a variety of different levels in order for a person to successfully recover. While many people might find success quitting on their own for a while, it often isn’t long before they begin using again.

Drug addiction affect a person’s psyche. And keeps them slave to their favourite substances long after the physical aspect of their addiction has run its course. In order to move through the psychological aspects of addiction that keep people trapped in a vicious cycle, the help of a professional addiction programme is often necessary.

What Is an Intervention?

No one can help a person get the help they need for a drug addiction. An addict must be willing to get help or they will never overcome their addiction. For friends and family members who desire to help their loved one see their problem is more serious than they believe, they can stage what is known as an intervention.

An intervention is an organised meeting with the addict to express concern for their behaviour. The ideology behind an intervention is to help an addict see the severity of their addiction, as well as encourage them to get the help they need.

Overcoming Drug Addiction in the UK

Countless people across the UK struggle with drug addiction on a daily basis. We’re here to help anyone that desires to change the unfortunate situation they’ve found themselves in. If you or someone you love is struggling with an addiction problem, we can answer any questions you have regarding drug abuse and the various ways to overcome it.

No one deserves to continue living as an addict for another day. Help is available, and we’re here to discuss all the options available for successful addiction recovery. Please call us immediately for a no obligation chat on all your options for finding the best drug addiction treatment available throughout the UK.