How to Identify Drug Addiction

Today, there are many things people can do to better their lives, or to make them worse. Drug addiction is something that people might begin doing in order to make their lives better – to have fun, to laugh more, to feel better about who they are. However, it is something that can quickly become something that will hurt them. It can be devastating to their friends and families as well.

Drugs can take over your life, and for some people, it can happen with little or no warning. Drug addiction might begin as something fun to do with a friend, or experimenting with a group of people. It might not appear to have any negative effects on you at first, which is why it is something that can get out of control very easily.

It can ruin lives, destroy relationships, and turn a person into something they never wanted to be. Certainly, drug addiction is a terrible thing, but there is such a thing as recovery. There are bad things inside of a person that can be conquered, and drug addiction is one of them.

You can identify drug addiction in someone when they use drugs often and cannot seem to function properly without them. Their body might be physically addicted to the drugs, and their lifestyle might mean that they are addicted to drugs in order to completely live their lives. It is very often that someone with a drug addiction is not able to cope without their drugs, and there are several reasons that this happens.

This might usually occur when a person has been doing something for long enough for it to become habit. Drinking among friends might be socially acceptable, and having a few drinks is not considered drug addiction. It happens though, that sometimes a person begins to rely on certain substances for their happiness, and when a person begins to become addicted to any of these substances this is when drug addiction becomes a real problem.

The hardest part of recovery is going to be admitting that you need help and checking into a drug rehab, and once you have done this, recovery can come much easier. In order to recover completely from drug addiction, a person must admit to not only themselves, but also to other people around them that they cannot control their substance use.

Even though drug addiction is something that can destroy lives you don’t need to let it destroy yours. For everyone, there is always a chance at recovery, and it is important for you to know that there are always things that you can do. Even talking to a friend that has been having a problem with drug addiction is a good way of finding out what is really going on, and might lead towards getting better

It is important or remember that drug addiction has a potential to lead even further if it is left alone and that it is very rare that it is going to get any better. If someone you know has a serious drug addiction problem, chances are good that it is only going to get worse. And many times, it is not going to be something that a person can take care of on their own. Drug addiction requires help, and it is vital for people to understand this fact. It is never too late to get help, and getting help is not going to have a negative affect on drug addiction. It will only make your life better. Please get help! By getting help, you are enriching your own life and making the people you are close to live better lives.

Often, individuals who have a problem with drug addiction will not admit that they have a problem.

This assessment tool could serve as an eye-opener for the individual and force them to admit that they may have a problem with drugs.

Ask them to answer the following questions as honestly as possible, or leave the questionnaire in a place where he or she will most likely find it. Answers are yes or no.

  • Have you had problems at work or school due to your drug use?
  • Is your drug use making your home life unhappy?
  • Do you use drugs in order to help you feel more comfortable around people?
  • Have you spent money on drugs that were supposed to be spent on other things, like children’s clothes? Rent? Money owed to others?
  • Have you been spending time with people that you don’t really care about because of your drug use?
  • Has your drug use led you to take dangerous risks?
  • Do you get cravings for drugs?
  • Has your drug use led you to do things you are ashamed of?
  • Have you ever used drugs in the morning?
  • Have you ever been involved in a serious physical or verbal fight when using drugs?
  • Do you ever use drugs to escape worries?
  • Is it hard for you to imagine living without drugs?
  • Have you ever thought you should cut back on your drug use?
  • Has anyone ever criticized your drug use?
  • Have you ever been arrested for a drug-related incident?
  • Have you ever had trouble remembering what happened as a result of your drug use?
  • Have you ever had a health problem because of your drug use?
  • Have you ever lied about your drug use?
  • Have you ever lost interest in things or activities that you used to find enjoyable?
  • Do you feel like your life simply isn’t working out?

If the individual answers yes to three or more of these questions, then they probably have a drug problem that will only get worse without the proper help. Encourage them to seek the professional help that they need. Provide them with literature and contact sources. Give them a list of web sites that they can visit for more information. If all else fails, schedule an intervention to confront the individual with a drug problem.

For more information about intervention methods and techniques, there are a variety of resources available on the Internet and via local, community organizations.