Signs of Addiction | The Best Treatment

Signs of Addiction and Drug Abuse

We understand that addiction is a complex disease and though some may choose to abuse alcohol and drugs without necessarily having a full blown addiction. According to SAMHSA however, just over 9.4 percent of Americans use illicit drugs. From those who are abusing drugs and alcohol, over 25% of that group suffer from an addiction problem. It is important to understand the signs and symptoms of drug addiction to see if you, or a loved one, have a problem. This is always the positive first step towards getting your life back without being a slave to drugs or alcohol. At The Best Treatment Center, we focus on healing the entirety of the individual- mind, body, and spirit so you can get back to the life you deserve.

When does addiction begin in someone?

Drug use becomes a problem when it makes life unmanageable. It will begin to interfere with daily life and cause problems in your social relationships as well as family life. your daily life or when it causes distress. This might take the form of:

Using alcohol or drugs in larger amounts or for longer periods of time than originally intended
Unable to successfully cut down on drug abuse even if you want to
Planning the day around trying to get drugs, use drugs, or recovery from the aftermath of drug or alcohol use
Missing important obligations like work, home, or school because of substance use and abuse
Using drugs or alcohol even with negative consequences coming from social, interpersonal, physical, or psychological problems
Giving up on hobbies, social life, work or other activities in order to use drugs and alcohol instead
Using drugs while driving, or in situations where it is physically dangerous
Tolerance, in which higher doses of drugs are needed to achieve the same effects
Withdrawal from not using drugs or alcohol- unpleasant effects

Common Signs of Alcohol or Drug Abuse/Addiction

If you want to identify a developing drug or alcohol addiction, there are signs to look for in your loved one’s life, the change is typically pretty noticeable from the outside looking in. Not all changes are signs of drug use, there are many other aspects that evoke changes in an individual’s behaviour such as added stress, mental health, or just mood swings.

However, there are common signs that if you are questioning someone close to you, you may want to consider. When signs of addiction to drugs or alcohol appear, there is a good chance that there are issues to address. When it comes to drug and alcohol addiction, these are life and death situations for many. Below we have compiled a list of behavioral signs.

Behavioral signs

Neglect of personal cleanliness
Personality trait shifts without cause or reasoning
Random changes in hobbies or activities
Loss of interest in family members or participating in family based activities
Changes in social circles, such as spending more time with new friends, particularly if the new friends are known drug users and less with old friends who weren’t drug users
Loss of energy, motivation, or self-esteem
Financially irresponsible
Frequently being without a phone or unreachable
Sudden drop in work or school performance
Being late for or skipping school or work
Car accidents
Repeated dishonesty or deceit
Suspicious or secretive behavior
Always wanting privacy at strange times
Difficulty paying attention and forgetfulness
Unexplained temper tantrums or oversensitivity
Unexplained silliness, giddiness, or bounciness
Increased nervousness, moodiness, or irritability
Consistently having unexplained scrapes, scratches, or injuries
Paranoia
Possession of drug paraphernalia
Unexplained need for money
Financial irresponsibility
Stealing prescription pills (such as painkillers, tranquilizers, or stimulants) or money
Physical signs
Inability to sleep or insomnia
Oversleeping or hypersomnia
Having an odd sleep schedule or being awake at unusual times
Racing or irregular heartbeat
Cold or sweaty palms
Tremors or shakiness in the hands or feet
Slowed or swaying walk
Loss of physical coordination
Cough or runny nose consistently
Red or watery eyes
Pupil dilation being significantly larger or smaller than normal
Flushing or paleness
Frequently rubbing the nose or itching face
Grinding teeth
Uncharacteristic sluggishness, laziness, hyperactivity, or talkativeness
Strange smoking or chemical odors on breath or clothes

What is the Next Step?

The severity of the addiction is always taken into consideration and at The Best Treatment Center, we take pride in offering our guests a specialized treatment care plan. Call an admissions specialist now to see what plan is right for you or your loved one.

The spectrum of addiction varies between mild, moderate and severe. At The Best Treatment we offer four different levels of care for addiction treatment, but always suggest a proper medical detox before coming into our programming. These levels start more frequent and intensive therapy to less intensive therapy as you move through your addiction treatment goals and according to therapist suggestions.

Relax Your Mind at The Best Treatment Center, Live Your Best Life.

At The Best Treatment Center we believe in a holistic approach to addiction treatment. We believe healing the mind, body and spirit is essential when it comes to breaking through the chains of addiction. We are a premier drug and alcohol day/night and residential treatment center. Our location is ideal, a mile from the ocean in the beautiful Lantana, Florida in Palm Beach County.

When it comes to healing the entirety of a person who was recently in active addiction, we are fortunate to offer our guests the relaxation of the beach. We encourage you to look through the resources section on our website and call us to speak with someone who will take you through the steps of seeking and getting the help needed to overcome any drug or alcohol addiction.

We give our guests the strength they need to overcome their battle with addiction by offering a variety of traditional addiction treatment programs. Learn more about our specific programs by visiting our Specialized Programs section on our website. The Best Treatment treatment programs are ideal for anyone who is serious about addiction recovery and reaping the benefits of maintaining a life of sobriety. The time for healing is now.