By Miles Rose
Addiction has negative impacts on the addict and people in the person’s life: family, friends. The professional setting is also greatly affected by employees who become victims of drug addiction. Dependency on drugs affects businesses and creates an unsafe work environment. Addiction affects people across all socio-economic groups, gender, and ethnicity.
Substance abuse has some warning signs. Listed below are some signs:
Behavioral signs
Sudden change in mood and behavior
Neglecting responsibilities
Loss of interest in favorite activities, sports, and hobbies
Change in the way a person grooms: carelessness is exhibited in grooming
Withdrawal from family and old groups of friendships
Physical changes
Sudden loss or gain of weight
Unstable or impaired coordination
Regular nose bleeding
Running or sniffing nose
Bloodshot or red eyes
Larger or smaller pupils than the usual size
Workplace signs
It is easy to identify a worker who is under the effects of drug addiction. Dependency on drugs in the workplace manifests through the following ways:
Lowers the speed and quality of work
Constant absenteeism
Spending lengthy time on breaks
Item clues
Other signs to use in identifying drug addicts include the items mostly used in drug abuse. Below are some items used during addiction:
- Syringes and spoons
- Resealable small baggies used in the storage of drugs
- Cans, plastic bottles, and pipes that have been tampered with or pierced
- Burnt foil pieces
- Missing stuff like valuables, money, and prescription medicine
Tips to Assist a Drug Addict
Drug addiction is treatable in rehabilitation centers like The Palm Beach Institute. Substance abuse, in most cases, results in the inability to cope with various issues. Personal issues and unresolved traumas experienced during childhood may lead to drug dependency. Drug addicts need compassion, sensitivity, and patience when dealing with them to recover from the addiction. It would be best to acknowledge the possibility of an addict not understanding drug abuse as a problem. Here are things that you should do to help addicts:
Understanding the signs of addiction
You should know how to identify warning signs of drug addiction. Then, familiarize yourself with strategies that enable you to handle substance addiction.
Talk to the person
It is challenging to spark a conversation, especially with the uncertainty about the best way to approach a person who is possibly an addict. However, speaking with an addict is beneficial as it can lead to an addict opening up. With this, it is easy to raise addiction in conversation with a good approach. Explain the effects of addiction relating it to something the individual cares about. Touching such a sensitive and important part exceeds the results gained from talking to the addict on the health impacts of drug abuse.
Give suggestions and guidance
It is important to have the best approach to demonstrate your concern to an addict.
Drug addiction is a delicate issue. As much as it is apparent, not every addict will be comfortable discussing their current condition. It, however, decides the addict to achieve sobriety and change causes the lifestyle.
Show compassion and support
Drug abuse leads to different experiences, making people feel helpless. There are possibilities that an addict could refuse assistance. This may make it hard to stop the addiction. Regardless of this, it would help if you exhibited persistency in trying to help the individual. Show compassion and patience in your communication and conversation with the addict. As a result, the person will gain the courage and trust to join a drug rehab center.
In today’s society, drug addiction is common, with a huge population fighting over substance abuse issues. Be prepared to make the addict know and understand the seriousness behind substance dependency. Supporting a friend, relative, or a loved one to deal with addiction plays a great role in the recovery process.
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