It is not so much of a problem to identify people that are having an addiction or tending towards one. Their signs and symptoms are usually evident to people who are closer to them. These signs could be behavioral, physical, or psychological.
Addictions are broadly classified into substance and behavioral addictions. Behavioral addiction is the obsessive liking that an individual has towards engaging in an act or behavior. Some examples are; sex, gambling, video gaming, parting, work, exercising, love, social media addiction, and a few others.
On the contrary, substance addiction is an uncontrollable urge that an individual has toward using highly addictive drugs and substances.
It is characterized by drug overdose, drug misuse, and serious withdrawal symptoms. Substances that are usually abused include opium, alcohol, methamphetamine, heroin, marijuana, etc.
Whichever the case may be, there are always a couple of similar traits that addicts will exhibit.
It is only normal that some behavioral addictions are hard to discover with addicts because they are relatively shameful, and addicts prefer them to stay out of sight. Friends and close relatives should be closer than ever to people exhibiting some or all of the following signs of addiction.
Physical signs
Physical signs of an addiction are common to people who overly abuse substances and a few behavioral addicts.
They are usually side effects of drug overdose and withdrawal from addiction. They include slurred speech, weight loss, body odor, loss of consciousness, aggression, agitation, and they usually look unkempt.
Behavioral signs
Behavioral signs of an addiction are characterized by loss of control, need to keep secrets from close pals, obsessive thinking and relapse to actions or drugs, inability to cut back even in grievous pain. These signs are common to all forms of addiction, be it behavioral or substance-induced.
Psychological signs
- Depression
- Anxiety
- Paranoia
- Mood swing
- Emotional breakdown
- Trauma
Physical health signs
- Insomnia
- Loss of appetite
- Headache
- Fever
- Seizure
- Respiratory disease and difficult breathing
- Cardiovascular and heart infection
- Loss of sight or partial blindness
Mental health signs
- Hallucination
- Loss of coordination
- Shakiness
- Impaired sense of motivation and reward
- Changes in attitude and personality