In the media we often see people who use drugs for medicinal purposes, or casual recreational use, or we see extreme addictive behaviours and struggles. Actually, in reality, the bits in between those stages can be very lengthy, subtle, and most people with an addiction problem don’t realise they have that problem, or even that there is an addiction there at all.
Whilst things can be extreme when it comes to the consequences of drug addiction, and around 5000 people every year in England and Wales (around 1500 in Scotland) do pass away from drug misuse, the good news is there is a lot to be noticed and acted upon before that point. The key is in noticing signs and symptoms that your drug use could be moving in a negative direction, so you have the chance to seek help before things get any worse.
If you suspect, even just a little, that you have a problem with cocaine, heroine, prescription drugs or legal party drugs, it’s important to look deeply and honestly within yourself and ask if you identify any of the following signs that you have, or are moving towards an addiction to drugs:
You’re Experiencing True Cravings
Next time you think about the drug that you use, consider whether or not you’re experiencing a desire for it, or an intense craving for it. Cravings are quite deep and feel like a strong sense of yearning. They occupy your thoughts to the point you feel driven to take the drug in question, no matter what. Ultimately, if you think about taking the drug to the point where you’re distracted thinking about it much of the day, those are drug cravings, which occur with addiction.
You Take More Drugs Than You Did
People in London take a combined average of 23 KG of cocaine every day, around 8 tonnes every year. How much the individual takes depends on where they are in their addiction journey, and for you, how much you take now compared to before is an easy way to spot how you may be moving towards a problem with drugs.
Thinking back to when you started taking drugs, do you find you have to take a higher dose to ’get there’? If your tolerance for the drug has decreased, and you’re taking more now to get the same impact you had before, this is a sign you’re moving towards a physical drug addiction.
You Struggle Without The Drug
Do you experience struggles when you take less of the drug, or none of the drug? Do you find you need to take the drug just to feel OK? Maybe without the drug you get some mood changes, or a little bit of fatigue, or perhaps it’s more extreme and you feel really unwell without the drug. If you can’t feel physically normal without the drug, it’s a strong sign you have an addiction.
Functioning Without The Drug Is Impossible
Whether functioning for you means going on dates, socialising, going to work or going out, the fact is, there could be an addiction problem if you cannot function as you did before, without the drug. Sometimes we only realise this when we consider functioning without it and the thought feels really scary, or we try to go without and suddenly everything is really hard – too hard.
You’re Covering It Up
How often do you say you take less drugs than you really do? How often do you hide your drug use from loved ones? Once you feel ashamed of your drug use, you probably know you have a problem, which is why so many people with addiction challenges change their circle of friends to other users, because they won’t challenge you on what you’re doing or make you feel ashamed – because they’re in the same boat.
Everything You Do Revolves Around Taking The Drug
Maybe you’re switching friend groups depending on who supplies drugs, takes the drugs as well, or who tolerates you being on the drug. Maybe you don’t do the hobbies you did, or see the people you used to love, because everything you do revolves around drug use now. If you think really honestly – how different is your life now because of drug use, and how much of what you do is to enable you to take the drug as freely as possible?
You Exist, But You Don’t Live
When we take drugs to the point of addiction, life can lose all meaning beyond that point. We have no interest in hobbies or spending time with people we love, in work, in the simple things that used to bring pleasure like a nice meal or a hot bath. How much of your life is solely dedicated to taking drugs?
Negative Consequences Happen And You Don’t Care
This is one of the most crucial signs to look out for if you want to know if you have a drug addiction problem. It’s often a tipping point, where you move from habit to addiction, and a point where it is crucial you seek help.
This point is where negative consequences happen, and that does not stop you from doing drugs. This could be minor consequences like going out with unkempt hair when you took pride in it before, or, wearing dirty clothes to work when you were always very well groomed and dressed well.
However, for many people, this point is noticed when it is something more extreme like being disciplined at work because you’re always late, or you’ve come into work noticeably intoxicated. Maybe you have been sacked because you were caught taking drugs in the work toilets. Maybe you crashed a car while driving on drugs and you have lost your license. Maybe you have lost contact with certain friends and family members because your priority is drugs, but you choose drugs.
Importantly, at this point you can still tell your life is spinning out of control, and you know you have to make a change, only you keep taking the drugs, the consequences are coming thick and fast, and it feels like you’re no longer steering your own ship any more.
You’ve Not Crossed Some Lines, But You Have Crossed Others
Many people consider themselves not to have a drug problem because they haven’t done things they associate with being a true addiction. This could be using needles, selling sentimental valuables to pay for drugs, stealing from loved ones etc. However, if you really think about it, you probably have crossed some lines already, you just haven’t thought of it that way. Would you as a sober person years ago have thought it acceptable to go to work on drugs? To drive on drugs? To miss a best friend’s birthday party to go and hang with drug dealers instead? These are just examples, but the chances are you may well have crossed lines already and if things keep on going in this direction, the chances are more lines will be crossed in the future, too.
Is It Time You Sought Help For Drug Addiction?
Even if none of the above resonates with you, the chances are if you’re here, reading this, you already know something is not as it should be and you need help. If you do connect with any of the points above, the same opportunities for turning things around apply. There is no stage of addiction where help is no longer available, or relevant. Of course, the earlier anybody is on their addiction journey, the easier it can be to detox and get clean, but in reality, there is always a way to feel better and healthier, a way to regain control and enhance your future prospects.
Why not speak to Infinity Addiction Solutions today about the different types of help that are available to you? From supervised medical detoxing, to group and 1-2-1 therapies, online rehabilitation courses and relapse prevention, there’s discreet, high-quality private addiction therapy available to help you feel better again.
No matter how bad things are, or how far away getting clean seems, there is help available and you can overcome your drug addiction for the happier, healthier life you deserve.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
