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What Are the Symptoms of Drug Addicts?

More than 13 million Americans have admitted to currently using some type of illegal drug. This use ranges from prescription drugs to stimulants and opiates. Though there are is no typical drug addict, the symptoms of drug abuse remain the same. The types of symptoms a drug addict displays vary depending on the type of drug they are addicted to. Knowing the symptoms of drug abuse may help you save the life of someone you know and love.

  1. Teen Symptoms

    • Detecting drug abuse in a teen can be more difficult than detecting it in an adult. Teens are prone to excessive sleeping, being argumentative with their parents, and wanting their privacy. If they are using an illegal drug, the symptoms will prevail at some point. The symptoms parents or caregivers need to watch for are sudden changes in their school performance. If your child consistently received good grades and their grades suddenly drop, it may be due to drug abuse. Their group of friends may change as well as a marked change in their behavior. If your child was generally well behaved and you find they are suddenly getting into trouble on a regular basis, it may be due to a drug addiction. In addition, if you are prescribed certain medications, especially Lortabs or Oxycontin's, and find they are disappearing rapidly, it may be your teen taking them.

    Physical Symptoms

    • The physical symptoms a drug addict displays will, again, vary according to their drug of choice. However if an addict is using more than one type of drug, they may experience a variety of symptoms. If they are using stimulants, such as cocaine, they may display cycles of increased energy and insomnia; this is because stimulants "pump" the body up, resulting in a higher blood pressure and heart rate. If they are using opiates, they may move abnormally slow, experience a slower reaction time, and appear disoriented or confused. Additional physical symptoms include a dramatic weight loss or gain, periods of excessive sleep, suddenly wearing long sleeved shirts to hide scars from injectable drugs such as heroine, and severe dental deterioration over a period of time.

    Emotional Symptoms

    • Drug addicts typically use drugs because of the temporary feelings they experience. When the drug is no longer in their system, it will begin to affect their moods and emotions. Some common emotional symptoms include unusual happiness and excessive energy if using stimulants. Opiate use may cause an addict to be unresponsive or zoned out. Additional symptoms include depression, delusions, paranoia, hallucinations, or temporary psychosis.

    Financial Signs

    • There are financial symptoms drug addicts will display as well. For teens, this can include stealing their parents' money or valuable possessions to support their addiction. For adults, they may form a habit of borrowing money from friends and family to pay their bills or purchase their drugs. They may find their debt mounting and may lose their residence due to their drug purchases. They may also lose their job due to poor attendance or performance from their addiction.

    Withdrawal Symptoms

    • Withdrawal symptoms do not pertain only to addicts who are seeking treatment; they also occur when the addict's drug of choice has left their system and they crave more. Some signs of drug withdrawal include agitation, angry outbursts, depression, mental confusion, nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite, and in extreme cases, seizures.

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