Getting educated about drug addiction can keep your loved ones safe. By knowing what it is, as well as the signs and symptoms of drug addiction, you’ll be ready to intervene when the time comes. Teens and young adults are especially vulnerable to substance abuse and addiction—this series will equip you with the knowledge you need to spot addictive behaviors, before they get out of control.
Drug addiction, formally known as a substance use disorder (SUD), is a chronic disease that disrupts a person’s brain chemistry and makes it difficult to control impulses and cravings as they relate to drug use. People battling addiction will compulsively seek out and use drugs or alcohol, despite the harm they cause. Substance addiction can affect anyone, regardless of age, race, gender, or upbringing. It can negatively affect their physical health, mental health, and overall quality of life.
Anyone can become addicted to drugs. Typically, it starts as recreational or experimental drug use—such as teens trying drugs at a party or with friends. For some people, it can begin with a prescription (such as pain relievers after a surgery) that, over time, spirals into misuse/overuse of the drug. Some drugs have a higher potential for addiction, and some people are more vulnerable to their effects.
If you are here because you believe someone you love is using drugs or alcohol, or you suspect they might be addicted to these substances, it’s incredibly important to intervene. This is especially true for teens and young adults. The early use of drugs and alcohol in adolescence brings a high risk of substance addiction and other negative consequences later in life.
How do you know when to intervene? First, know the signs of drug addiction and drug abuse.
Common Signs of Drug Abuse
Sometimes, it’s easy to tell when someone is using drugs—bloodshot eyes, stumbling around, and slurred speech are obvious signs of drug use. However, when it comes to recognizing drug use in teens and even young adults, the signs of drug abuse can mirror (or get masked by) normal teen behaviors like locking the bedroom door, coming home past curfew, and withdrawing from family members.
If you suspect your loved one is using drugs, ask yourself if they check-off multiple boxes below. These are common signs that you might spot in-the-moment, indicating your loved one might be high. However, keep in mind that every drug causes different side effects; these are just some examples.
- Smell of alcohol or substance on breath, body, or clothes; unusual odors to cover up smells
- Slurred speech
- Lack of physical coordination, such as a slowed or staggering walk
- Excessive sweatiness or trembling
- Extreme hyperactivity or excessive talking and movement; inability to sit still
- Bloodshot, watery eyes (pupils might be larger or smaller than usual)
- Dry mouth, needing water or chewing gum
- Runny nose and sniffling (ruling out sickness)
- Sudden mood changes, such as giggling, anger, or sadness without explanation
- Avoiding eye contact
- Hiding phone or conversations; locking doors
- Sneaking out and/or coming home past curfew
- Stealing or missing money
- Possession of drug paraphernalia
The Signs of Drug Addiction
Many of the above indicators of drug abuse can also signal a developing addiction. However, there are certain, tell-tale signs of substance addiction marked by problematic behaviors, psychological changes, and a downturn in physical health. For example, those who are addicted to drugs typically experience:
- Intense cravings and urges to use a drug
- An increasing need to use drugs more frequently, or in larger amounts (i.e. tolerance)
- Withdrawal symptoms when they try to stop/are not actively using the drug
While these are tell-tale characteristics of drug addiction, they are not always easy to spot. People who are addicted to drugs will try to conceal their symptoms, often by hiding out and withdrawing from loved ones. When confronted, they might try to downplay their drug use.
So, consider the list below. If you notice any of the below warning signs or symptoms—and know or suspect that your loved one is using drugs or alcohol—it’s time to intervene.
Behavioral signs of drug addiction:
- Recent isolation and withdrawal from loved ones
- Problems in relationships with friends or family members
- Sudden changes in social circles, hangouts, and/or hobbies
- Uncommunicative and unreachable; demanding privacy
- Secretive or suspicious behavior (e.g. seems to be hiding something); lying
- Avoiding social events or once-loved activities
- Drops in grades or academic performance, or skips school entirely
- Failing to meet obligations at school, work, or home, due to substance use
- Risky behaviors like driving under the influence, or having unprotected sex
- Lack of personal hygiene or care about physical appearance
- Unexplained need for money; stealing
- Getting into legal trouble
Physical symptoms of drug addiction:
- Excessive tiredness, nightmares, and/or lack of sleep (insomnia)
- Frequent nosebleeds (from repeated snorting of drugs)
- Sudden changes in appetite; weight loss or gain
- Skin abrasions or track marks
- Physical ailments like headaches and stomach issues, without explicable cause
- Development of seizures
- Frequent illness or a weakened immune system
- Chronic fatigue and low energy
Psychological signs of drug addiction:
- Sudden and intense mood swings
- Feelings of sadness and hopelessness (i.e. depression)
- Constant worry, fear, or paranoia without clear explanation (i.e. anxiety)
- Hallucinations or delusions (i.e. psychosis)
- Frequent irritability, hostility, or outbursts of anger
- Unexplained changes in attitudes or personality (e.g. more forgetful, nervous, moody)
- Bursts of unusual hyperactivity
- Stretches of unusual laziness or lethargy
- General lack of motivation
- Inability to focus or concentrate; trouble retaining information
- Low self-esteem and self-worth
- Feelings of guilt and shame
- Thoughts of suicide or self-harm
- Thoughts of harming others
- Co-occurring mental health conditions
Common Drugs of Choice (and Signs of Their Use)
Every drug comes with different side effects. For example, someone who has smoked marijuana will look very different from someone who is high on cocaine. Those addicted to painkillers will show different signs than those addicted to prescriptions like Adderall or Xanax.
If you know what signs to look for, you, as a parent, can determine if your child is in fact drinking or using drugs. By understanding specific drugs—what they are, how they work, and their side effects—you can begin to address the situation and seek out professional help.
Explore common drugs of abuse, along with signs of addiction for each, below.
Alcohol
Alcohol is the most widely abused substance in the United States. It is also the most widely used substance among adolescents and teenagers, due to its increasing availability. In fact, the average adolescent first experiences alcohol before the age of 13.
Marijuana
Marijuana, commonly known as weed or pot, is the most widely abused illicit drug by young adults. Despite the fact that it is highly addictive and that frequent use often leads to harder, more toxic drugs, many people today accept marijuana as perfectly safe and acceptable to use.
Opiates
Opiates are types of painkillers made from opium. The most commonly abused opiates are Oxycontin and Vicodin, commonly prescribed for pain following an injury or surgery. Because these drugs are highly addictive and often prescribed to teens, opiate use must be carefully monitored.
Oxycontin
Oxycontin, or Oxycodone, is a form of opiate often prescribed to relieve moderate to severe pain. In high doses, Oxycontin will produce a whole body high, and relieve tension and anxiety for its user. When taken regularly and even when prescribed, Oxycontin can lead to a serious addiction.
Heroin
Classified as a Schedule I drug by the DEA, heroin is one of the most highly addictive drugs out there today. Prepared from morphine, heroin produces a short-lived high that users compulsively seek to regain soon after use. Heroin can be snorted, smoked, or most seriously, injected.
Cocaine
Cocaine is a highly addictive stimulant that is emerging across schools and young populations worldwide. Sometimes referred to as coke or blow, cocaine is most often snorted, producing instantaneous side effects and great, yet fleeting, feelings of euphoria and leading users to seek it out compulsively all over again.
Crystal Meth
Methamphetamines are potent, addictive stimulants most commonly abused by young adults in the United States. Because meth is often cut with cleaning products and produced in “home” labs, it is one of the dirtiest, and most dangerous, street drugs out there today.
Prescription Drugs
Prescription drug use is widespread today, especially in teens and adolescents. Despite the drugs’ similarity to other dangerous substances such as heroin, prescription drugs are almost always assumed to be safe—because they are available, because doctors prescribe them, and because they are legal. When taken more than directed, though, prescription drugs can also be fatal.
K2/Spice
K2, or Spice, refers to a form of synthetic marijuana. It is blended with various dried, shredded plant materials and a mixture of chemical additives—labeled “not for human consumption”. Due to its “herbal” components, however, spice is often assumed to be both natural and safe, and is most widely used among young adults.
Adderall
Despite being prescribed by doctors and having a positive reputation as a “study” drug, Adderall has been classified as Schedule II by the DEA, alongside other illegal stimulants like cocaine. Adderall is one of the most addictive prescription drugs on the market today and it is increasingly being abused by adolescents.
Stimulants
Stimulants cover a large category of drugs of abuse, including illicit street drugs such as cocaine and crystal meth, and also prescribed stimulants like Adderall and Ritalin. Often called “uppers,” stimulant substances are most commonly abused among young adults who are looking for an easy and instantaneous high.
Vicodin
Vicodin, a prescription medication used to treat moderate to severe pain, is perhaps the most commonly abused opioid today. It is also the painkiller most frequently prescribed. Physicians prescribe Vicodin to all different age groups to treat a variety of painful conditions, largely including dental and injury-related pain.
Xanax
Xanax is a type of benzodiazepine (often referred to by young adults as “benzos”), a central nervous system depressant that poses great risk for addiction. Commonly called a “downer”, Xanax slows down brain activity by blocking brain receptors and inhibiting communication between neurons. It does so by hyperpolarizing these brain cells so that they become less active..
Bath Salts
Contrary to their name, bath salts are not bathing products. They are not the Epsom salts you dissolve in your tub. Rather, bath salts are a group of powerful, psychoactive drugs that are highly illegal across the nation. They are a constantly evolving family of substances that contain synthetic chemicals related to cathinone, an amphetamine-like stimulant.
Inhalants
Inhalants are volatile substances or aerosols that produce chemical vapors and produce psychoactive, or mind-altering, effects when inhaled. Hundreds of different products can be classified as inhalants, many of which are in arm’s reach of your teen. Spray paints, glues, nail polish remover, lighter fluid, hair sprays, whipped cream canisters, and cleaning fluids are just some of the many products teens can abuse for instant intoxication.
Fentanyl
Sold today as “China Girl” or “China White” (names that previously were tied to a brand of heroin), this Schedule II prescription drug has contributed to a recent string of overdose deaths, and its toxicity is largely to blame. Fentanyl is 100 times more potent than morphine, 50 times more potent than heroin, and its effects are intensified even more in combination with other drugs.
Ecstasy
Ecstasy is the street name for MDMA (short for 3,4-methylenedioxy-methamphetamine), an illegal drug that acts as both a stimulant and a psychedelic. An amphetamine-like stimulant, ecstasy is extremely energizing and many teens use the drug to stay awake as they party. Its hallucinatory properties, in combination, allow a user to experience a distortion of time and sensory perception.
Molly
Molly is now classified as a Schedule I substance, as it is not only illegal, but also carries a high potential of abuse. Found most commonly in pill form, Molly can be taken orally, injected, or snorted. Upon administration, Molly enters the blood stream and travels directly to the brain, altering its chemical structure and hindering proper communication between neurons.
LSD
LSD or “acid” is one of the most powerful psychedelics abused by young adults. LSD abuse is a roll of the dice—its effects are completely unpredictable, and vary person to person. Because it is a man-made drug, LSD poses the risk of containing toxic chemicals that can harm users in different ways.
By reading each of our drug-specific pages, you can better understand what types of drugs teens are using today, the warning signs and symptoms of a developing substance addiction, as well as how to best deal with the problem at hand. Drug addiction can have a powerful hold on anyone, but adolescents, young adults, and their futures, are most at risk.
Addressing the Signs of Drug Addiction: When to Intervene
If you are concerned that your loved one is abusing drugs, that is enough reason to intervene and start a conversation. Do not ignore your instincts. Drug addiction changes a person’s personality and behaviors; you know your loved one best and you will know when something is off.
Of course, knowing the signs of drug addiction is a good place to start. And we’re proud of you for taking the time to educate yourself.
So, what do you do when you notice these behaviors, patterns, and struggles in a loved one? When the signs of drug use become consistent, or when symptoms intensify, consider the following actions:
- Have an open conversation with your loved one–without judgement or punishment. In order to have this conversation received well, and to make it productive, find a time when this person is not actively drunk or high. Find a time when you both are feeling calm. Ask open-ended questions and listen without judgement. Do not punish them if they admit to using drugs. This will establish trust. Instead, offer your support and talk about potential solutions.
- Seek professional help. Substance addiction is a chronic, relapsing disease that, when left unaddressed, can result in a series of dangerous effects. At the same time, know that addiction is also very treatable and preventable. If your loved one is showing signs of drug abuse, now is the time to step in and find expert support. You can save a life by doing so.
Most often, drug addiction requires professional intervention and ongoing care. Initially, this is because withdrawal from drugs can be dangerous and often requires oversight. Additionally, remember that drugs make lasting changes in the brain and body; they change our ways of living. Professional drug treatment can teach adolescents and young adults the skills they need to overcome symptoms, cope with challenges that come their way, build a productive, drug-free life, and become the best possible versions of themselves, long-term.
For young people, drug treatment or rehab that’s tailored to the unique experiences of teens and young adults is highly recommended. In these environments, residents are all walking in similar shoes—with comparable interests, experiences, and needs. This atmosphere sets teens and young adults up for better engagement and success in their treatment program.
Turnbridge is a mental health and drug treatment provider for teenagers and young adults. If you’d like to learn about our age-specific, gender-specific programs, you can explore the links below. You may also call us today to talk more about what to do after spotting the signs of drug addiction. We’re always available at 877-581-1793 to talk about your unique situation and needs.