Functioning Addicts—What You Need to Know
It is easy to spot someone who is an addict when they are entrenched in their addiction. That is not always the case with some addicts though. Many addicts maintain semi-normal and even productive lives; going to work, school, and even raising kids as terrifying as that might sound.
So what about these cases—how can you spot someone is struggling when it may not be obvious?
Of course, the easiest way to tell for sure is to give them a drug test… I know that’s pretty obvious. Beyond that let’s look into other indicators to watch for.
The person using drugs will begin to act differently even if they are very good at keeping things together. Things will seem a bit off. You will notice some slight differences in behavior, their sleep schedule changing, being more seclusive, or stories that don’t quite add up. There also may be large amounts of money missing they cannot explain.
Pay attention to how they are in the morning. One of the things with all addicts functioning or is they have to keep using regularly to avoid withdrawals. Meaning that in the morning or at some point during the day, they will have to use again. Keep an eye on them, especially if they have a sudden mood change after going to the bathroom or leaving for long periods of time.
Notice if they are being oddly secretive about an aspect of their life. For example, why they stay up so late or why they are short on money when they make a decent amount. People who are trying to hide their addiction will go to great lengths to cover it up. They may seem perfect on the outside but are crumbling on the inside. They may seem closed off and reserved when it comes to talking about the problems they are having at work or in life.
I used to come home and go straight to my room and I wouldn’t talk to anyone. I would close myself off to the ones I loved in order to hide my addiction, hoping they wouldn’t find out. Using drugs or alcohol can be an escape from the struggles they are facing in life. Addiction is a slippery slope that can quickly cause you to go sliding down. One day, you think you have it all together and the next, it comes crashing down. I’d lie to hide my addiction and pushed people away so they wouldn’t find out
Keep an eye out for all these signs, as they might be early signs things may get worse from here. Over time with many drugs, like alcohol, cocaine or heroin, they build up a tolerance for the drug and require more to achieve the same effects as they were before. The worst part of someone who can function day-to-day but is struggling with substance abuse is, by the time you know they have a problem, it may be too late. Everything may seem fine until you find them overdosing or dead. If things seem off with your loved one, talk to them before it’s too late.
Do you have some things to look for that we did not mention? Please leave a comment on Facebook if you think of things we may have missed.
