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Throughout our lives, it is normal for us to develop a particular affection for specific people and to care about how they are, both emotionally and physically.
Due to various reasons, we may notice something different in our close social circle if we observe some strange behavior, some physical change, and/or some different emotion. But, how can we know if a person is taking drugs?
There are substances that lead to significant deterioration in health, such as drugs. In this article, I will provide you with information about how to tell if a person is using drugs with the naked eye.
Physical changes
You may be wondering, "How do I know if my partner uses drugs?" In order to identify the symptoms of an adult drug addict, you have to know one of the most important aspects: the physical changes.
Here we will point out the most important ones to take into account:
- Body tremors.
- Eye bags.
- Weight gain or loss.
- Lack of motor coordination.
- Difficulties in the pronunciation of words.
- Decay and/or exaltation.
- Red eyes.
- Spots on the face.
- Frequent nasal congestion.
- Recurrent oral diseases.
- Shaking chills.
- Sweating.
- Rashes.
- Agitation.
As you may have read, many of these symptoms of a drug addict are linked to the nervous system (tremors, sweating, or chills); If you want to know more about them and their impact on the body, I recommend you read this article on Effects of drugs on the nervous system.
Personality changes
Beyond the physical changes that result from drug use, certain changes in personality may also appear depending on the type of drug consumed.
So how can we tell if a person is on drugs?
For this, it is important to take into account the attitudes that the subject takes, since the symptoms of drug addiction can vary depending on the frequency and duration of consumption.
The most relevant changes in personality are the following:
- Irritability.
- Aggressiveness.
- Lack of perception of the environment.
- Social isolation.
- Disinterest in people and the world.
- Persistent anxiety.
- Thoughts about the damage that the person who consumes could suffer.
- Euphoria.
- Manipulative attitudes.
Habit changes
In addition to the changes that appear in terms of physical appearance and personality, it is also true that there can be changes in the habits of drug addicts.
Here, I will describe the most important changes in habits that will help you know if a person uses drugs at a glance:
- Lack of organization in terms of life routines.
- Changes in sleep hygiene.
- Loss or decrease in job performance.
- Repeated absences from educational institutions (if applicable).
- Robbery attempts to get money.
In case you have noticed the typical symptoms of a drug addict in people from your close circle, and even in your partner, I leave you the following post My partner takes drugs, why and what can I do?
Cognitive problems
Within the symptoms of drug addiction, another aspect that must be taken into consideration lies in the area of thought. When the drug is established in a person's life, cognitive changes occur that are harmful.
In this section, I will highlight the main items to realize if a person uses drugs:
- Lack of concentration and attention.
- Decreased ability to understand.
- Short and long-term memory loss.
- Difficulties in acquiring new content.
Social problems
Because of what was mentioned in previous sections, there are certain problems that people who use drugs may have in social ties, since these are negatively affected as a result of the changes in behavior that they suffer.
Next, we will locate the main social problems:
- Changing mood.
- Isolation.
- Lack of empathy.
- The aggressiveness with the environment.
- Social conflicts in the school and work environment.
Changes in the consumption of material resources
When I talk about the symptoms of drug addiction linked to material resources, I refer to those elements that are part of a person's daily life. As an example, we can mention a knife, a debit, or a credit card, among others.
At a general level, it is possible that someone who suffers from drug use uses these materials in order to use them in the intake of substances. That is why you have to pay special attention to this topic to know if a person uses drugs at first glance:
- The money is used for the purpose of obtaining drugs.
- Use of flavorings to prevent consumers from being discovered.
- Recurring sale of household objects in exchange for substances.
Consequences of drug addiction
The recurrence and relapses in the intake of toxic substances produce severe consequences that affect health. If you want to know more about the subject, see our post Drug Addiction: Causes and Consequences.
Next, I will locate the main negative effects that arise from drug use:
- Respiratory diseases.
- Nausea.
- Vomiting.
- Psychiatric pathologies.
- Loss of social ties.
- Blood circulation problems.
- Psychological disorders are derived from drug use.
- Death.
How to act when someone close to you uses drugs
You already know how to tell if a person is using drugs with the naked eye; however, given the presence of the characteristics displayed in the previous points about the symptoms of an adult drug addict, it is essential to know the ways to approach this problem.
For this reason, I list some guidelines to consider so you know what to do if a person uses drugs:
- Provide support: This means being close to the person who uses drugs without judging them for their behavior. In other words, this lets the person know that they can trust whoever approaches them.
- Suggest some treatment: When there are behaviors linked to drug addiction, it is important that health professionals intervene to address this type of problem.
- Express concern: This lets the person know that there is an environment that wants their recovery. Family and close friends play a transcendental role here.
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