What Are Common Red Flags That Indicate Drug Use?
While the dangers of using and abusing drugs or alcohol are well-known, many people still fall into the trap of addiction each year, putting themselves at risk of serious health problems and causing pain, anguish, guilt, and suffering in their friends and loved ones. You might start to wonder what’s causing their problems if they consistently skip out on activities they once enjoyed, or they’re no longer keeping up with responsibilities at work or home. Still, the symptoms of drug use aren’t always so obvious to others, and it can be hard to know if addiction is the problem or if something else is going on. So, what are the warning signs of drug use, and how can you help a loved one with addiction?
Table of contents
» How Does Drug Use Affect a Person’s Appearance?
» Are Sudden Mood Swings a Sign of Drug Use?
» Can a Decline in Work or School Performance Suggest Drug Problems?
» How Can You Approach Someone You Suspect Is Using Drugs?
» Key Takeaways on What Are the Warning Signs of Drug Use
» Resources
How Does Drug Use Affect a Person’s Appearance?
Using drugs or alcohol can cause a whole range of effects on the person’s body, including their outward appearance. If you’re wondering what are the warning signs of drug use, in some cases, you can see them with your own eyes as your loved one’s looks and features start to change.
Physical appearance changes from drugs can include:
- Face and body acne breakouts
- Dull, dry, or oily skin
- Open sores, wounds, or scars from picking at the skin or face
- Needle marks
- Collapsed veins
- Baldness or thinning hair
- Developing breasts in men (from steroids)
- Nosebleeds
- Dramatic weight loss or weight gain
- Bad teeth from gum disease, tooth loss, and decay (aka “meth mouth”)
- Bloodshot eyes or dilated pupils
Overall, you might wonder why your friend or loved one seems to be aging much faster than normal, and this is due to the toll that drugs or alcohol takes as the person’s body tries to process all of these substances.
Are Sudden Mood Swings a Sign of Drug Use?
So, what are the warning signs of drug use? In addition to those easy-to-spot physical changes that can happen to someone’s appearance, many other potential red flags could indicate drug addiction, including:
- Spending more and more time thinking about, getting, using, or recovering from the effects of a drug.
- Developing a tolerance (needing more of the drug to feel the same effects).
- Isolating or withdrawing from friends and family members.
- No longer keeping up with things at work, school, or home.
- Trying and failing to reduce or quit a drug.
- Suffering from strong urges and cravings to use the drug that make it hard to think about anything else.
- Risky or illegal behaviors due to drug use (stealing to get more of it, driving under the influence, etc.).
- Suffering from withdrawal symptoms if the drug isn’t taken.
In addition to these warning signs, family members and close friends might notice other potential red flags. Maybe they’re missing a lot of work or school, or their performance is slipping compared to what they used to do. It could look like constant health problems, like losing or gaining a drastic amount of weight, as well as a neglected appearance and poor hygiene.
Someone who is struggling with drug addiction will also often have continuous money problems, seeming always to have some reason why they need some money from you, or resorting to stealing money or items to be able to score their next hit. Behavior changes are also a standard part of drug addiction.
Can a Decline in Work or School Performance Suggest Drug Problems?
If you’re wondering what are the warning signs of drug use, for many people, it can be visible in their decreasing performance at work or school. As someone falls deeper and deeper into a drug problem, they’re going to spend more and more of their time focusing on getting and using the drug, and that leaves far less time and attention for important things like going to work, keeping up with assignments, and focusing on putting in their effort toward their academic or career futures.
These could be warning signs of addiction for many reasons, especially the direct consequences of substance misuse on the brain. Many drugs can affect a person’s concentration, focus, memory, and decision-making while also wiping out their motivation, which can make it awfully difficult to keep up with school or work. Before long, these problems can lead to more tardiness or just not showing up at all for essential obligations.
Drugs can also cause mood swings, social withdrawal, secretiveness, and money problems, and all of that can make someone more likely to do worse at more social activities like work or school.
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How Can You Approach Someone You Suspect Is Using Drugs?
If you suspect your loved one is using drugs, you might be wondering how you can talk with them about it to get them help, or how to deal with a drug-addicted partner. Unfortunately, many people who are amid an addiction will deny that there’s any problem at all, whether it’s through denial or simply just not believing that their behaviors and patterns of use are signs of a serious issue. In this case, you might need to consider staging an intervention to bring it to their attention and push them to get the life-saving professional treatment they need to get better.
Still, many people will first want to start not with an intervention but more of a direct one-on-one conversation with their loved one about the extent of the problem and their hopes about them getting help to have a brighter, healthier future. If you’re thinking about having this talk with someone who is struggling with drug addiction, keep a few things in mind:
- Educate yourself about the substances that are being misused, as well as how professionals treat those addictions.
- Carefully pick a good time and place for the conversation. You’ll want to choose a quiet, safe place where you can have a private talk that won’t be overheard or interrupted by others.
- Only talk when you and your loved one are both sober (not under the influence of any alcohol or drugs).
- Plan what you want to say, and make sure you’re presenting yourself as coming from a place of compassion and care, not judgment.
- Discuss behaviors or problems you’ve seen due to drug use, and make sure they know that you love and care for them, and you just want them to have the best future possible.
- Be prepared to listen as much as or even than you talk–it should be a conversation, not a speech from you.
- Carefully control your tone and body language during the talk to help them see you as understanding and compassionate, not angry or judgmental.
- Remind them of the many good things they have in their lives that are reasons to get better and stop their drug use.
Key Takeaways on What Are the Warning Signs of Drug Use
- Many possible red flags could indicate a drug addiction.
- If you’re wondering what are the warning signs of drug use, changes to someone’s appearance are often the first things you’ll notice.
- Behavior changes, mood swings, and declining performance at school or work can also be signs of drug use.
- Help is available for people who are struggling with drug addiction.
- Carefully plan how you want to talk with someone about their drug problem and choose a safe, quiet, private place to have this conversation.
Drug addiction can ruin lives, but it can be treated if your loved one gets help from professionals. The team of experts at WhiteSands Alcohol and Drug Treatment knows what it takes to break the chains of addiction and help people find their way back to the road to recovery. Call us at 877-855-3470 today to get started.
Resources
- Mayo Clinic – Drug Addiction (Substance Use Disorder)
- Just Think Twice – How Drugs Affect Your Looks and Your Body
- Government of Canada – How to Talk to a Family Member or Friend About Their Drug or Alcohol Use
If you or a loved one needs help with abuse and/or treatment, please call the WhiteSands Treatment at (877) 855-3470. Our addiction specialists can assess your recovery needs and help you get the addiction treatment that provides the best chance for your long-term recovery.
About the Author
Jackie has been involved in the substance abuse and addiction treatment sector for over five years and this is something that she is truly eager about. She has a passion for writing and continuously works to create informative pieces that not only educate and inform the public about the disease of addiction but also provide solutions for those who struggle with drug and alcohol abuse.
