How To Help Someone With A Drug Addiction

How To Recognize A Drug Addiction In Someone

When someone develops a drug addiction, there will be signs. Drug misuse negatively impacts their behaviors and their physical and psychological health. You may notice changes to their overall appearance and well-being.

Behavioral Signs Of Drug Addiction

Behaviors begin to change soon after a person develops a substance use disorder. While everyone who misuses drugs can behave differently, there are common signs to watch for, including:

• They pay less attention to their appearance and hygiene.
• Their performance at school, work, or home deteriorates.
• They may skip work, class, or family functions to use drugs.
• They isolate themselves to spend time using drugs.
• They develop poor sleeping or eating habits.
• They begin hanging out with a different group of friends.
• They may get into legal or financial trouble.

Any behaviors that seem abnormal for the person could be a sign that they are misusing drugs. It is crucial to address the behavioral changes as soon as possible.

Physical Signs Of Drug Addiction

Physical signs of drug addiction refer to changes that take place in the body due to drug misuse. Some of the physical signs can appear quickly after someone begins misusing drugs and may include:

• Unexplained weight changes
• Bloodshot eyes
• Runny nose
• Scratching or picking spots on their skin
• Lack of concentration
• Nodding in and out of consciousness
• Unusual smells on breath or body

Physical signs can indicate drug misuse, and they may also be a clue that it is damaging other parts of the body. Helping someone get into rehab at the first sign of physical symptoms may prevent long-term health effects.

Psychological Signs Of Drug Addiction

Psychological signs occur in the mind, affecting how someone thinks and feels. Continued drug use can lead to mental health disorders or a worsening of symptoms. Symptoms may include:

• Anxiety, depression, or other mental health symptoms.
• Obsessive thoughts and urges to seek and use drugs.
• Changes in personality and mood.
• Irritability or angry outbursts.
• Paranoia or unwarranted fear.

When someone has a substance use disorder and mental health disorder, they need treatment for co-occurring conditions. If one is left untreated, it could trigger a relapse.

How To Identify Drug Paraphernalia

Paraphernalia is the equipment or products needed to consume a drug. While some people may get creative with their paraphernalia, most are everyday items. Common paraphernalia is listed by drug below.

Marijuana:

Heroin and other opioids:

Cocaine and stimulants:

Hallucinogens:

Inhalants:

Many products are easy to purchase on the internet to help someone hide their drug paraphernalia, including fake soda cans, empty boxes that look like books on the outside, and bags with hidden compartments. People with drug use disorders are very good at hiding and covering up their paraphernalia.

How To Talk To Someone About Their Drug Addiction

When planning to talk to someone about their addiction, you must think about everything from location to language. Tips for a successful meeting include the following:

• Educate yourself and be knowledgeable on drug use and addiction.
• Have a conversation when your loved one is sober and can comprehend what you say.
• Have the meeting in a safe, comfortable, and private location.
• Talk calmly to them about how their addiction is affecting your life.
• Use language that is not stigmatizing and nonjudgmental.
• Compliment them, reminding them of all the traits you love about them.
• Don’t expect everything to be resolved in one conversation.

Attend the meeting prepared with information on various addiction treatment programs and offer to contact the programs together. Also, be ready to set boundaries, which is important when supporting a loved one with addiction.

How Not To Approach Someone With A Drug Addiction

Avoid talking to someone with a drug addiction when they are not sober and unable to concentrate or understand what you are saying. Don’t use language that blames, shames, or makes them feel guilty, and avoid arguing.

Instead, focus the conversation on how their addiction makes you feel rather than on what they are doing to themselves. They will likely become defensive and shut down emotionally. Please don’t talk to someone with an addiction in front of people who make them feel uncomfortable or in a public location. Remain calm and show you care. Always state positive comments about their strengths or talents, assuring them you will help them recover.

When Is It Time To Stage An Intervention?

When someone has an addiction, they will meet the criteria for a drug use disorder set by the American Psychological Association in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual for Mental Disorders, fifth edition (DSM-5). According to the DSM-5, there are 11 criteria:

• Using more drugs than intended and for longer periods
• Making several attempts to quit using drugs but without success
• Spending much of their time seeking, using, or recovering from drugs
• Continuing to use drugs even though it interferes with fulfilling obligations at home, work, school, or socially
• Continuing to use drugs even though it causes problems in relationships
• Avoiding activities once enjoyed to misuse drugs
• Participating in risky activities while using drugs
• Continuing to use drugs, knowing it will worsen physical or psychological problems
• Experiencing intense cravings and urges
• Needing more of the drug to achieve the same effects (tolerance)
• Experiencing withdrawal symptoms when going without drugs for a while

One to three criteria represent mild addiction, and three to five criteria represent moderate addiction. Anyone meeting six or more criteria has a severe addiction. Don’t wait until an addiction becomes severe to stage an intervention.

What To Do If Someone Refuses Help For A Drug Addiction

Interventions, even when you do everything right, can result in your loved one refusing to get help. When this happens, you must have a plan that includes protecting yourself with boundaries. Boundaries refer to the following:

• Getting counseling for yourself
• Attending support groups for families of addicts
• Stopping enabling behaviors that help your loved one continue using drugs
• Following through with consequences set if they refuse treatment
• Making self-care a priority

You must make changes. Focus on getting yourself healthy mentally and physically. Many times, when someone stops enabling drug-using behaviors, their loved ones are forced to seek treatment. It is too hard for them to continue their addiction, so they become more open to getting help.

Set Self-Care Boundaries To Protect Yourself

Self-care means discovering what you need to be physically and psychologically healthy and then meeting those needs. Boundaries are measures you put into place to protect your mental and physical health, finances, and relationships. Boundaries effective for someone with an addiction include:

• Refusing to give them money that they could use to buy drugs.
• Refusing to support them financially.
• Refusing to drive them to meet their drug dealer or “friends” who also use drugs.
• Refusing to let them stay at your home while using drugs.
• Refusing to make excuses for their behavior or placing the blame on yourself.
• Refusing to bail them out of jail or other crises.
• Refusing to take on their responsibilities, especially paying their bills.

Ultimately, when someone has a drug use disorder, it is their responsibility to deal with the problems their drug use causes. When they experience the pain of their actions, they will be more likely to seek help and enter rehab.

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How To Help Someone Enter Rehab

Helping someone get into rehab starts with getting an assessment from a local drug and alcohol treatment facility or primary care physician. The evaluation will determine which treatment program best meets their needs, such as detox, inpatient rehab, intensive outpatient services, or medication management clinics.

You can also support your loved one with addiction by contacting a treatment provider to learn more about treatment and explore possible rehab options.