Telltale Signs & Symptoms of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse of varied legal and illicit substances continues to be a niggling, decades-old, nationwide health concern. Drug abuse could cause irreparable, all-encompassing devastation in the lives of the users as well as their kin members and pals. It is the reason for a surge in criminal activities and augmented monetary hassles in neighbourhoods. An estimate forty million grave infirmities, injuries or fatalities occur in the U.S. on an annual basis due to drug abuse. There is a wide-ranging array of substances which people abuse and every one of these has varied effects and upshots. Majority of these substances are vastly habit-forming and detrimental to a person’s health. There are several prevalent signs and symptoms which would assist in indentifying a drug abuser.

Instantaneous Physical Signs & Symptoms

A number of drug abuse signs and symptoms are instantaneous (occurring mainly when the drug abuser is using the substance). Every drug type elicits its own exclusive group of bodily signs; however several drugs have a number of these signs that are similar.

• Frequently, drugs impinge upon the CNS (central nervous system) and would lead to undue pupil dilatation or constriction.
• Drug abuse could lead to unsteadiness when the person walks and become physically uncoordinated.
• A number of drugs could lead to reddishness, puffiness or perhaps glassy (lifeless or expressionless) appearance of the eyes.
• Several drugs which are abused are stimulants which make the person agitated, strung out and incapable of slowing down, relaxing or sleeping.
• Substance abuse could cause the user to hallucinate, exhibiting aggressiveness or vicious behaviourism, lowered or increased libido and becoming delusional or paranoid.

Long Term or Lengthy Usage – Physical Signs & Symptoms

Over and above the instantaneous physical signs and symptoms, there are several bodily signs which develop over a lengthier span of abusing the substance.

• Commonly, individuals that have developed an addiction to drugs or often use them would exhibit lackadaisical attitude towards the way they appear, exhibiting sloppiness or dishevelment and lack of personal grooming.
• Substance abusers would mostly seem weary and incapable of completing day-to-day chores.
• They are incapable of getting proper sleep due to the unvarying ups and downs in their physical stimulations.
• Continual substance abuse could cause variations in blood pressure and cardiac rate which are steady and unrelated to instant substance activity. Substance abusers could have a rise or plummet in their appetites.

Behaviour Alterations

A substance abuser who has got habituated to it would repeatedly be experiencing variations in behaviour. Near and dear ones of the drug abuser could discern a variation in character or outlook, an alteration in hobby or activity, pitiable school grades, an overall lacking in impetus or self-worth, mood swings or becoming paranoid. Substance abuse could cause prohibited behaviourisms like robbing and behaviourisms which are perilous, all in an endeavour at getting drugs.