How to Spot an Addict

Substance abuse is an increasingly problematic addiction that is prevalent among young adults. The effects of drug and alcohol addiction can be detrimental, not only hurting the user, but also those that love and care for the person as well. For an addict, getting help is essential to a normal, healthy lifestyle. However, many people don´t know how to recognize their alcohol and drug addictions, thus rejecting any help that may present itself.

The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines addiction as the “compulsive need for and use of a habit forming substance...” Both alcohol and drugs are known to carry highly addictive qualities than can compel a person to feel a need for the substance. The addiction quickly becomes stronger as it is fed, leading to substance abuse or drinking on a regular basis.

Drug use is another addiction that can get out of hand quickly. Drug addiction is not as easy to identify as it once was, mostly due to the increase in medical prescriptions being abused. Illegal drugs tend to have a negative effect on the physiological appearance of a person. Examples of these types of drugs include cocaine, heroine, and methamphetamines. Addiction to prescription drugs and over-the-counter medications can occur when a person begins to use pain killers, sleeping pills, or other mood altering drugs to function in everyday activities. This type of activity is growing increasingly popular among students, resulting in drug addiction at a very young age, sometimes the result of a legal prescription. Signs of drug addiction can include weight loss, extreme behavior, broken teeth, scabs, constant sniffing, lack of appetite, bloodshot eyes, droopy eyes, and slurred speech.

For a person wondering if he or she is an addict, the question to ask oneself is “Does my drinking or drug use affect my everyday life, or is it a disruption to the completion and quality of daily activities?” If one finds that alcohol or drugs are indeed a disturbance to daily functionality, then he or she can assuredly assume that there is an addiction that needs to be treated.

Since 1972, the renowned Clearbrook Treatment Centers have been providing effective treatment programs for adults and adolescents who suffer from alcoholism and/or chemical dependency. Clearbrook’s rehabilitation program is based upon the belief that alcoholism and chemical dependency is a primary disease and that the suffering addict and his or her family members deserve immediate help.