Five Dead Giveaway Signs of Drug Abuse

    

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There are good reasons to disapprove of drug abuse. Besides being addictive, abuse of drugs can be deadly. To help you identify the drug abuse of a loved one, here are five dead giveaway signs of drug abuse. 

Pick marks

These are not the aftereffects of acne, they are sores on the face commonly associated with methamphetamine use. Meth users will often pick at their skin until they leave bloody sores. They suffer from delusions that bugs are living under their skin, a problem called ”formication.” If challenged, they will make up all kinds of justifications for picking at their skin endlessly. Substantial patches of skin may be picked away in this fashion. 

Irregular Sleep Patterns 
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Everyone’s schedule has variations as demands at work or school change. But when someone is abusing drugs, they could stay up for days and then crash for an entire day and night or even longer. Or they could be constantly sleepy and dopey or always stay up late into the night and sleep during the day. Behavior like this is a strong sign that something is not right and the person may be using drugs.

 Drug Paraphernalia
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Finding drug paraphernalia is a clear sign that the individual possessing it is abusing drugs. As the types of drugs abuse change, it’s important to realize that the paraphernalia associated with that drug will also change. Needles, glass or metal pipes, burnt spoons or bottle caps, tiny plastic bags bags and prescription bottles may be found in the room of a person abusing drugs. But also realize that eye drops, aerosol cans, cigars (especially ones that have been cut open) or ripped pieces of balloons may also be signs of drug abuse. If something seems out of place and seems like it might be drug-related, you would be smart to research it.

Rapid Weight Change
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A person who is using drugs often quickly shows changes in weight. This might come from their loss of appetite or increased desire to eat. This sign may take a little bit of time show up, however it will be increasingly obvious that something is wrong. You may notice they do not eat at normal times. Or when they are offered something delicious, they remark they’re not hungry. You could also find that they are bingeing on foods, especially foods low in nutritional value. 

 
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Needle Marks

This is obviously a dead giveaway that someone is abusing drugs. Signs of needle use will vary in severity with the mildest being small pinprick marks on the inner arms or anywhere there is a vein, all the way to infected marks up and down the arms. Abscesses are a clear sign that a person is struggling with addiction.

 

Narconon Louisiana offers free drug education on the signs of drug abuse for all drugs. To order these materials or if someone you know needs assistance finding a treatment center, please call us today.