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Our partner can generate an immense variety of sensations depending on the type of bond we have. Love, fear, anger, disappointment, joy, and excitement may be present. It is common for us to share many moments since the couple represents an important part of life.
However, it could suddenly happen that we observe some strange behavior and are disoriented for this reason. Drugs are a gateway to a dangerous world, both for the lives of those who consume them and for the people who make up the environment.
Do you want to know more about this? In this article, I will provide you with information about what can I do if my partner takes drugs, and why.
Symptoms of drug use
How can I know if my boyfriend/girlfriend takes drugs? There are several types of drugs that have negative effects on the health of those who consume them frequently.
We must know that drugs produce different effects depending on the characteristics of each one, since not all are the same. Here, I will describe the most important symptoms of drug use:
1. Physical symptoms
They are those bodily reactions that appear in consumers. Red eyes, increased blood pressure, increased heart rate, dry mouth, vomiting, nausea, dizziness, slower breathing, poor coordination, dilated pupils, anxiety, nervousness, involuntary movements, tremors, damage to the mouth are highlighted or the nose, among others.
2. Cognitive symptoms
They are the ideas presented by a person who consumes substances. Among the most relevant, catastrophic thoughts about the person himself and about the world, hallucinations, difficulties in concentration and attention , memory problems...
3. Behavioral symptoms
These are the behaviors that can be observed in drug users. I will mention at this point irritability, changes in mood , slower or faster breathing, disinhibition, insomnia, euphoria, aggressiveness, constipation, among others.
Each substance will produce different effects depending on the dose consumed. One or more symptoms may appear depending on the type of drug used.
Causes of drug use
The causes that determine drug use depend on several factors that must be considered. It is important to know them in order to address this problem. In this section, I will describe the most relevant:
- Environmental factors: the environment in which we live can be an influence when it comes to drug use. It is possible that there are family members who are immersed in this problem, thus causing other close people to start using substances.
- Genetic factors: Genetic inheritance also plays an important role when studying the causes of drug use. There are certain neural connections that enable a higher incidence.
Consequences of drug use
Behaviors linked to drug use have consequences to which we must pay special attention. The most relevant are:
- Deterioration of physical and mental health
- Loss of social relationships
- Failure in the educational and labor area
- Appearance of various diseases
- Isolation
- Anxiety
- Behaviors that endanger physical integrity
How does the partner of an addict feel?
What is it like living with a drug addict? Beyond knowing the characteristics of a person who frequently consumes toxic substances such as drugs, we must also think about the people with whom the addict has a close bond. At this point, the partner of an addict presents a series of extremely important guidelines that should not be neglected:
- Sensation of loneliness: couples of addicts experience a strong feeling of loneliness since a large part of the decisions that concern the couple are made unilaterally. This gives them a great responsibility that is difficult to face.
- Appearance of negative feelings: guilt may appear in the addict's partner for not being able to control drug use. As I mentioned before, the responsibility they feel in these situations weighs heavily on them. When the addict continues to use despite the partner's efforts to avoid contact with drugs, they feel it as a failure that produces anger, anguish and frustration.
Can an addict love?
It is difficult to know if a person who has a drug addiction can actually love since it will depend on the characteristics that they have as well as the bond established with a particular person.
You may have feelings related to love, but there are also manipulative traits that can be part of the relationship. For this reason, it is essential to know the person to determine if the way they act corresponds to love or a method to obtain elements of personal benefit such as drugs.
What to do if my partner lies about drugs?
What can I do if my spouse is on drugs? When someone is immersed in difficulties caused by drug use, cheating may appear in relationships to continue with this problem. Given this, I suggest a series of steps to take into account at this time:
- Talk to the family: the family environment is part of the addict's world and will be the place where valuable information can be obtained to treat him.
- Seek help: There are various forms of treatment for people with drug addictions. Short-term therapies work to resolve goals, so it can be a tool that allows the patient to deal with these situations in another way. On the other hand, there are long-term therapies such as psychoanalysis that seek the origin of a conflict. This allows the patient to understand the cause of her behaviors and emotions in order to work them out. In this way, this type of therapy offers the possibility of facing situations from another point of view.
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Ressources
- Becona Iglesias, E. (2007). Psychological bases of the prevention of drug use. Psychologist's Journal Papers, 28 (1), 11-20.
- National Institute on Drug Abuse. Drugs, the brain and behavior: scientific bases of addiction. Oregon Health and Science University, US Department of Health and Human Services.