Identifying Addiction Behaviour In A Family Member Or Friend

22/11/2010

Finding out that someone you love is addicted to a substance or activity can be a harsh wake up call. In fact, many of us will find ourselves in denial and making excuses for our loved ones as the reality of addiction and substance abuse scares us.

As the family and friends of an addicted person, considering the denial and subsequent lack of awareness that goes with being addicted, it becomes our duty to look after the best interests of those addicted loved ones.

That being said, we can only do so much to engender an environment for addiction recovery and arrange an intervention before forcing someone into an addictions treatment centre.  As family and friends we can try to be aware of addiction behaviour and try to obtain the necessary assistance should someone we care about start displaying these signs of drug abuse or addictive tendencies.

The following addiction behaviour and symptoms are usually noticed in someone suffering from substance abuse and should be taken seriously:

• Sudden loss or gain in appetite with consequent loss or gain in weight.
• Sudden change in attitude towards life.
• Lack of interest or commitment to usual hobbies and interests.
• Inability to concentrate or pay attention to work, school or other responsibilities.
• Mood swings in the form of temper tantrums, resentfulness and argumentativeness.
• Paranoia.
• Unable to be contacted for hours at a time.
• Patterns of dishonesty which often involve suspicious behaviour and even theft.
• Insomnia or being awake at unusual times.
• Change in personal hygiene or cleaning habits – drug addiction often leads to a “don’t care” attitude.
• Glassy eyes with enlarged or small (‘pinned’) pupils.
• Puffy or swollen face.
• Excessive energy or talkativeness.
• Hands shaking or sweating.

These behaviours and symptoms may not mean very much when noticed alone, but if someone you care about displays two or more of these in conjunction with one another, then it is probably time to seek out the assistance of a professional.

Perhaps these signs and symptoms are not indicative of addiction behaviour but a professional medical or psychological assessment may be in order to rule our dependency and make an accurate diagnosis of the current problem.

If your loved one is addicted and needs to be admitted to a rehab facility WeDoRecover is a team that is able to provide you with useful drug related information as well as point you in the right direction when it comes to choosing a treatment centre in your area.

We specialise in helping families with interventions and choosing the most appropriate addictions treatment centre for you, your friend’s or your family member’s recovery.

Contact We Do Recover and chat to us about identifying addiction behaviour and what the options available to you are. Help yourself or your loved one return to the path of addiction free living.