Drugs and Addiction

What Are Abuse and Addiction?

Telling the difference between abuse and addiction is hard. Addiction begins as abuse, or usage of a substance like marijuana or cocaine. You can abuse a drug without having an addiction. For example, just because Sara smoked weed a few times doesn't mean that she has an addiction, but it does mean that she's abusing a drug - and that could lead to an addiction.

Addiction means having no control over whether to use a drug. A person who's addicted to cocaine has grown so used to the drug that he has to have it. Addiction can be physical, psychological, or both.

Physical addiction is when a person's body actually becomes dependent on a drug. It also means that a person builds tolerance to a drug, which means he needs a larger dose of that drug to get the same effects. When a person who is physically addicted stops using drugs, he may experience withdrawal symptoms. Withdrawal can be like having the flu - common symptoms are diarrhea, shaking, and generally feeling awful.

Psychological addiction may happen along with physical addiction or on its own. In this case, the cravings for a drug are psychological, or mental. People who are psychologically addicted feel overcome by the desire to have a drug. They may lie or steal to get it. An addicted person - whether it's a physical or psychological addiction or both - no longer has a choice.

An addiction is not just measured by how many times a person uses a drug. Some drugs, like crack or heroin, are so addictive that they may only be used once or twice before the user loses control. A person crosses the line between abuse and addiction when he's no longer trying the drug to have fun or get high, but because he's come to depend on it. His whole life centers around the need for the drug.

Signs of Addiction

The basic sign of an addiction is a need to have the drug or substance.

However, there are many other symptoms that can suggest a possible addiction. The important thing to remember is that drastic physical or mental changes in someone represent a big problem.

Common signs and symptoms of addiction may be helpful if you are concerned about yourself or your friend, but similar signs and symptoms may actually be caused by other conditions, too, such as depression or eating disorders. That's why it's so important to get help, no matter what the problem is. Keep reading for lists of signs and symptoms that may help you figure out whether you or your friend has a drug or alcohol addiction.

Warning Signs for Yourself

Recognizing that you may have a problem with drugs or alcohol is the first step in helping yourself. Read through this list of typical signs and symptoms:

Psychological symptoms:

• Do you see drugs as the solution to problems?
• Do you spend a lot of time figuring out how you can get drugs?
• Do you steal money or sell belongings to be able to afford drugs?
• Have you been withdrawing from your relationships with your friends or family?
• Have you lost interest in school, sports, or hobbies that used to be important to you? Have your grades slipped?
• Are you experiencing anxiety or depression?
• Are you keeping secrets from your friends or family?
• Do you only hang out with friends who use drugs?
• Have you tried to stop using drugs but can't?
• Do you feel like you can't control your moods? Have friends or family members expressed concern about your mood swings

Physical symptoms:

• Have your sleeping habits changed?
• Has your physical health been affected by drugs?
• Do you feel shaky or sick when you try to stop using drugs?
• Do you keep needing to take more of the drug to get the same effect?
• Have your eating habits changed? Have you lost or gained weight for no apparent reason?

Warning Signs for a Friend

Are you concerned that your friend may have a drug or alcohol addiction? Read through this list of typical signs and symptoms:

Psychological symptoms:

• Does your friend see drugs as the solution to problems?
• Is your friend always preoccupied with how he can get drugs?
• Does your friend steal or sell belongings to be able to afford drugs?
• Does your friend seem anxious, irritable, or depressed?
• Has your friend withdrawn from you, other friends, or family members?
• Has your friend lost interest in school, sports, or hobbies that used to be important to him? Have his grades slipped?
• Has your friend become really secretive or private?
• Does your friend only hang out with friends who use drugs?
• Has your friend tried to stop using drugs but couldn't?
• Does your friend have intense mood swings?
   

Physical symptoms:

• Have your friend's sleeping habits changed?
• Has your friend been having health problems since he started using drugs? Does he seem to get sick a lot?
• Does your friend need to take more of the drug to get the same effect?
• Has your friend lost or gained weight for no apparent reason?
• Is your friend an athlete? (Some teens who are athletes or weight trainers may try using anabolic steroids to build muscle. Steroids can cause physical changes such as acne and severe mood swings.)
• It may be hard to answer some of these questions. You may not be able to witness some of your friend's behaviors if he's pulled away from your friendship. But if you think your friend is using drugs, he needs help.

Getting Help

Recognizing that you have a problem is the first step in getting help. In the case of an addiction, it's important to get help right away.

Maybe you think you can kick the problem on your own or that you don't need help. That doesn't work for most people. Getting some help from your parents, your friends, or your doctor may make quitting drugs a little easier to do.

If you can't talk to your parents about your drug addiction, talk to another adult you trust. That may be a favorite teacher, a guidance counselor, another relative, a religious leader, or your doctor. The important thing is that you talk to someone about what's going on. A drug or alcohol addiction is too big a problem for a person to solve alone.

Getting clean is not going to be easy. What works for one person or one drug may not work as well for another. Quitting drugs is probably going to be the hardest thing you've ever done. Just remember that you'll feel much better both physically and mentally, and you'll know that you have the kind of power it takes to overcome any problems that come your way.

Once you start a treatment program, try these tips to make the road to recovery less bumpy:

• Tell your friends about your decision to stop using drugs. Your true friends will respect your decision. This may mean that you need to find a new group of friends who will be 100% supportive. The important thing is that you cannot return to hanging out with the friends who you did drugs with before.
• Accept the help that your friends and family offer. Don't try to handle treatment on your own.
• Ask your friends or family to be available when you need them. You may need to call someone in the middle of the night just to talk.
• Accept only invitations to events that you know won't involve drugs. Going to the movies is probably safe, but you may want to skip a Friday night party until you're feeling more secure.
• Have a plan about what you'll do if you find yourself in a place with drugs. The temptation will be there sometimes, but if you know how you're going to handle it, you'll be OK. Make a deal with your parents, for example, that if you call home asking how your sick grandmother is doing, they'll know that your phone call is a signal that you need a ride out of there. Once you're off the phone, tell your friends that your grandma is ill and you have to go home.
• Remind yourself that having an addiction doesn't make you a bad or weak person. If you backslide a bit, talk to an adult as soon as possible. There's nothing to be ashamed about, but it's important to get help soon so that all of the hard work you put into your recovery is not lost.

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