Individuals who struggle with addiction show apparent signs of addiction. Still, for people who know a loved one has a dependency problem, it isn’t always easy to know what to do. People describe watching a person struggling with addiction as a train wreck since it’s difficult to watch, and most feel helpless.
The best thing that anyone can do for someone who’s struggling with addiction is to assist them in finding help. Before you can help someone, however, you have to know the signs of addiction. Below are a few signs that may help you determine if a person is struggling with addiction.
Signs of Addiction
People who have an addiction often do everything in their power to cover it up. Even so, there are still a few tip-offs that family and friends may see. These signs include:
- Defensiveness – If a person becomes defensive as soon as the topic of addiction comes up, this may be a red flag.
- Isolation – Does a loved one spend a lot of time by him or herself? Separation is often a sign of addiction. People typically do this because it’s easier to hide their addiction this way. Also, they may feel like their friends and family members won’t be able to understand.
- Shame – It’s common for people who suffer from addiction to feel guilt or shame about what they’re doing. Despite this, they aren’t able to stop. This inability to just quit is due to the chemical changes in the brain that drugs cause.
- Blaming – People who suffer from addiction blame others for their problems or situations. This is a ploy that most addicts use to avoid taking any responsibility for their actions.
These are a few signs that the family should look for if they think that a loved one is suffering from addiction. There are other physical traits that they can look for as well. However, these are usually easy to cover up until addiction reaches a fever pitch.
Health Consequences of Addiction
Many consequences come with addiction, including social and financial troubles. The most worrisome, though, are health concerns. Studies show that addiction causes several health problems, including organ damage and hormone imbalance. Some individuals even develop diseases like AIDS as a result of sharing needles.
Studies also show that drug abuse is linked to cancer. Doctors believe that the chemical changes that take place in the brain may lead to abnormal cell growth over time.
Fight Addiction With the Help of Crestview Recovery
We know that there are many types of substances to which you could have an addiction. Therefore, we offer a variety of addiction treatment programs. These include:
- Alcohol addiction
- Heroin addiction
- Prescription pain killer addiction
- Opioid addiction
- Cocaine addiction
At Crestview Recovery, we take your fight against addiction very seriously. Our goal is to create unique addiction programs that address your individual needs. Some of the programs that we offer clients include:
- 90-day extended care treatment
- Individual therapy
- Dual diagnosis therapy
- Trauma therapy
- Intensive outpatient
Contact Crestview Recovery for more information on recognizing signs of addiction and finding help for a loved one. Our master-level therapists help people with a variety of substance use and addiction problems. Call us today at 866.262.0531 to get the help that you deserve.
Since 2016, Dr. Merle Williamson, a graduate of Oregon Health Sciences University, has been the Medical Director at Crestview Recovery, bringing a rich background in addiction medicine from his time at Hazelden Treatment Center. He oversees outpatient drug and alcohol treatments, providing medical care, setting policies, detox protocols, and quality assurance measures. Before specializing in addiction medicine, he spent 25 years in anesthesiology, serving as Chair of Hospital Pharmacy and Therapeutics Committee and Chief of Anesthesia at Kaiser Permanente. This experience gives him a unique perspective on treating prescription drug addiction.
