What are the Signs of Drug Addiction?
Addiction is defined as a mental health disease that causes you to compulsively abuse your substance of choice despite wanting to stop using and encountering negative consequences as a result of your use. All psychoactive substances, including prescription medications, are neurotransmitter inhibitors that carry the risk of abuse. Neurotransmitter inhibitors force your brain to release more neurotransmitters than it should, ultimately resulting in a depletion once intoxication ends. Drugs can cause two types of addiction: psychological and physical. The main difference between the two is that physical addictions cause withdrawal symptoms, although both types of addiction require treatment. Signs of drug addiction can appear at any stage of a substance abuse disorder and are sometimes difficult to recognize. During addiction, it’s common to conceal your drug use, meaning that it’s typical to hide signs of drug addiction from friends, family members, and loved ones. Some of the most common signs of drug addiction can include:- Drugs interfering with your daily life
- Spending excessive amounts of money on drugs
- Using alone
- Changes in appearance and/or personality
- Unexplained financial problems