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Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse

Introduction
🖊️Signs and symptoms of drug use and abuse are critical to know if you suspect someone is using drugs.
🖊️Some signs and symptoms are easily noticeable while others are subtle.
🖊️However, it is important to remember that even if signs and symptoms are seen, only a professional evaluation can truly say if the signs are those of drug abuse and not another behavioural or psychological condition.

Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse
🖊️Though signs and symptoms may describe the same conditions, these two are different in many ways. Signs describe what others observes and symptoms describe what the affected person experiences or feels. A symptom can be defined as one of the characters of a disease whilst a sign is the definite indication of a specific disease.
🖊️Signs and Symptoms of Drug Abuse can be spotted if risk factors have been identified.
🖊️Risk factors of drug use and abuse include:
🔖Easy availability of drugs,
🔖Drug users in the family,
🔖Friends who are drug users,
🔖Unhappy home life,
🔖A mental illness.

Signs of Drug Abuse
🔖The first sign is change in behaviour with increased aggression, irritability and changes in attitude or personality.
🔖Withdrawal of interest in activities and hobbies,
🔖 Sudden changes in social network e.g Spending more time with friends than at home or change of friends.
🔖Dramatic changes in habits and or priorities,
🔖Sleeping changes,
🔖Decreased performance at work or school,

📌These signs may indicate another problem; however, it is important to talk to the individual directly to confirm what you’re really seeing are symptoms of drug use.

Other Signs
🔖Smell of drugs on person and clothing,
🔖Bloodshot or glazed eyes,
🔖Constant discussion of drugs,
🔖Pressuring others to do drugs,
🔖Frequent washing of clothes, showering or spraying room deodorizer to remove drug smells,
🔖Presence of drug paraphernalia like pipe or rolling papers,
🔖Changes in mood such as anxiety or depression,
🔖Changes in hygiene e.g dental issues,
🔖Skin that is cool and sweaty or hot and dry,
🔖Needing more money for unexplained expenses.

Symptoms of Drug Abuse
🔖These symptoms become more and more severe as the user develops a crave for the drug as the user is no longer experimenting but now feels a need to use the drug,
🔖Loss interest in normal day to day activities in order to use the drug e.g absconding lessons,
🔖The user loses interest in other hobbies except drug use,
🔖Decreased performance in work or school,
🔖A vast change in mood and sleep,
🔖Unusual or bizzare behavior,
🔖Abnormal vital signs like respiration, heart rate and blood pressure,
🔖Confusion,
🔖Chest and lung pain,
🔖Nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and stomach pain,
🔖Diseases such as Hepatitis B or C, or HIV from needle-sharing,
🔖Frequent hangovers,

📌Learning to recognize these signs and symptoms can help prevent the problem from progressing further if it is treated with urgency and caution.

The Bottom line
🔖 When these signs begin to appear in those we love, we should not jump into conclusions because they need to be treated with care.
🔖It is important to engage a professional to determine the meaning of the signs and symptoms before we rush to diagnose as drug abuse.
🔖We should always strive to eliminate risk factors of drug abuse to help those affected.
🔖Above all, let us always be loving and caring enough to those showing signs of drug abuse.
🔖We should always pray for those showing signs of drug abuse and seek divine power to help them overcome.

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