Taking drugs is a great risk, and their abuse can even lead to death – although almost everyone knows it, there is no shortage of people willing to experiment with psychoactive substances. How do you know if a person is already addicted? How to help a drug addict? What to do to make him want to accept help for drug addicts at all? We explain what drug addiction is, how to help and what to do when a loved one turns out to be addicted to psychoactive substances.
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How To Recognize Drug Addiction?
Drug addiction is addiction to chemicals that affect brain function. During the diagnosis, it is taken into account whether the person is craving for narcotic drugs, and whether there is a compulsion to take the substance and the desire to get it at any cost – regardless of the consequences. Diagnostic criteria also include loss of control, change in substance tolerance, and the occurrence of withdrawal syndrome. Although the diagnosis is dealt with by specialists, the first disturbing symptoms are observed primarily by the relatives. It is worth deepening your knowledge about drug addiction to notice the moment when help for a drug addict becomes necessary – such people can be in our immediate vicinity! Importantly, the symptoms vary depending on the substance taken and the duration of its intake, as well as on the individual predispositions of the person who uses the psychoactive substance. The most important signs of drug use are:
- reddened sclera, abnormally narrowed / dilated pupils,
- constant runny nose or other ailments related to the respiratory tract,
- hand tremor, arrhythmia, fast heart rate, uncontrolled seizures,
- depressed mood and states, social withdrawal,
- apathy, weariness, lack of energy and motivation,
- weight loss
- decreased libido level,
- weakened immunity,
- general neglect,
- a significant change in the current lifestyle,
- financial problems,
- suspicious objects that may be used for taking the drug: pipes, tissue paper, syringes and substances of unknown origin.
All the symptoms listed above are not necessarily related to drug addiction, but should be warning signs. How to help a drug addict if the diagnosis is confirmed?
Unfortunately, a situation in which an addict himself notices his problem and requests treatment is rare – most often it is family or friends who ask the question of how to help a drug addict. For the treatment to be effective, the addicted person’s cooperation is essential – he or she must voluntarily and fully consciously give up drug use. The treatment is provided by a team of specialists, but the support of loved ones is of great importance throughout the entire process. How can you help a drug addict who is unwilling to seek treatment? What to do in order not only not to harm, but also to help?
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First, Don’t Pretend The Problem Doesn’t Exist
Sweeping the case under the rug doesn’t make the problem go away – quite the contrary. To be able to start treatment, a drug addict must admit that he is actually addicted, and the support of his relatives makes it easier for him. Underestimating the problem, turning an addiction into a joke, completely ignoring or treating drug addiction as a taboo topic do not encourage people to seek help. Conversation, thanks to which the addicted person can feel safe and honestly tell about their problems, is worth its weight in gold.
Second: get to know your enemy better
The behavior of an addicted person may often seem strange and incomprehensible, so when dealing with such a person it is worth reaching for scientific publications on drug addiction. They do not have to be textbooks or specialized articles – there is a lot of resources on the Internet on how to help a drug addict. The National Bureau for Drug Prevention on its website publishes reliable information and also runs helplines. There are also valuable tips on the websites of addiction treatment centers. A psychologist, psychiatrist and addiction therapist can help in understanding the mechanism of addiction. Even basic knowledge makes the addict’s behavior not so vague.
Third: Support, But Not Protect
Justifying an addicted person is a common mistake of people wondering how to help a drug addict in their family. If the relatives make every effort to ensure that the addicted person can continue to function in the old way – justifying absenteeism, financial help, lying to friends – he has no motivation to change this state.