Drugs abuse symptoms

Drug abuse is one of the most difficult things in life that a person might have to come to terms with. Drug use often starts out with the use of recreational drugs under peer pressure, but often escalates into full blown addictions from where it is very difficult to turn back.

I’ve decided to do a few posts about drug abuse, and in this first one I want to look at the symptoms of drug abuse. It angered me to find that parents often go into complete denial about their children and drugs. Recently I have heard of a case where the domestic worker told her employee about the children using drugs, only to lose her job. But the truth is that children can find drugs as easy as they can find their own homes. With cell phones, the Internet and an overpopulated schooling system, it has never been easier to find drugs than today. Don’t get me wrong though, children are not the only drug users. There are just as many adult drug users. Here is how to recognize if your loved one is using drugs.

Physical signs of addiction
Basically there are two types of drugs, one that takes you up and gives you energy, and one that takes you down and makes you lazy. Uppers chase up the blood pressure and metabolism, and reduce the ability to sleep. Downers like opiates and barbiturates slows things down, reduces blood pressure, breathing and alertness.
• Watch out for cycles of increased energy, restlessness, and inability to sleep (often seen in stimulants)
• Excessive sleep
• Abnormally slow movements, speech or reaction time, confusion and disorientation.
• Sudden weight variations such as weight gain or loss.
• Wearing of clothes to hide specific areas of the body, to hide scarring where injections had been given.
• Methamphetamine (Known as TIK in South Africa) causes progressive severe dental problems.
• Check for drug paraphernalia such as unexplained pipes, roach clips or syringes.
• Chronic troubles with sinusitis or nosebleeds might be present with drugs taken nasally. (Snorted).
• A persistent cough or bronchitis, leading to coughing up excessive mucus or blood can be seen with smoked drugs.

Mental and emotional signs of abuse and addiction
Because drugs are abused for the good feelings they provide, one of the key symptoms is the affection of mood, depending on the type of drug used. Mental and emotional signs include:
• Cycles of being unusually talkative, energetic and cheerful.
• Apathy, depression, paranoia and delusions
• Heightened states of agitation, irritability and anger.
• Lowered threshold for violence
• Looking “spaced out” and being unresponsive.
• Temporary psychosis, hallucinations