What Are the Signs of Addiction?

Addiction carries the stereotype that the person who is addicted will attempt to hide any signs and symptoms of their issue from those around them. This is typically also not just a weak attempt, but often a very thorough attempt to hide their afflictions. However, even with the difficulty in detecting something amiss, there are signs of addiction that may help you notice someone in need of some assistance.

Firstly, however, what is addiction? Addiction is a non-medical term that is used to describe a plethora of mental disorders typically called substance use disorders. These substance use disorders are patterns of drug and alcohol use that continue even after these behaviors have already caused issues or resulted in negative consequences for the person who is addicted. However, do not think that this only applies to substance use. For example, gambling can and has been known to lead to gambling addiction. The addicted person is usually physically or mentally addicted to the substance and this makes it much harder to stop them from continuing with their self-destructive habits. There is also evidence that some genetic, social, and biological factors can make certain people more likely to develop addictions than others.

The Signs of Addiction

Addiction has a multitude of signs, as stated earlier. One that might be noticeable is when the suspected addicted person is hiding or attempting to hide something. While this is not a sign of addiction in itself, having a gut suspicion along with other signs can help lead one to an accurate conclusion. Most of the other noticeable signs are related to behavior, such as if the person is very moody or thoughtless and acting out of character. Irritability and a lack of engagement of the person in question along with becoming less reliable are all potential signs of addiction. Additionally, they could even appear very drowsy or say unusual things.

Behavioral changes are not the only sign, however. With a bit of background information about the person in question, it may be possible to identify signs of someone addicted. A very alarming sign is unexplained financial difficulties or unemployment. Perhaps one of the most serious pieces of background information would be the loss of a relationship, which can cause someone to spiral into addiction.

Interested in Learning More?

Greater Essex Counseling Services offers programs for substance abuse and more. If you are interested in learning more about the signs of addiction please call us at (973) 832-0189.