Duke City Recovery Toolbox in Albuquerque, New Mexico offers holistic care for individuals with opioid dependency and/or drug addiction. To that end, we offer psychoeducation for participants and family and friends of potential participants to help them recognize the signs of addiction.
Learning to Recognize Signs of Addiction
Nearly every drug and alcohol abuse treatment program recognizes that the first step to recovery is recognizing you have a problem. Unfortunately, many people struggling with substance abuse are too focused on their relationship with drugs or alcohol to notice warning signs in other areas of their lives.
Duke City Recovery Toolbox offers classes and educational programs to help friends and family members of suspected addicts learn about the signs of addiction. We can also help you plan an intervention that has the best chances of helping your loved one get past denial and seek help. Contact us for upcoming class schedules or to schedule a private family therapy session.
Early Signs of Addiction
Some signs of addiction are easy to see and often become evident early in the addiction process, such as:
- Socio-economic impact—increased spending, new and/or fast-building debt, opening new credit cards
- Legal trouble—criminal charges and/or civil litigation (which is often related to addiction-related spending and debt)
- Family strife—increased fighting or withdrawing from family members and activities
- Relationship trouble—increased fighting with intimate partners
- Workplace trouble—disciplinary actions, job loss
What makes signs of addiction difficult to spot is the fact that when not under the influence, your loved one may act completely “normal,” leading you to second-guess your suspicions of a problem.
When Addiction Is Left Untreated
If addiction is left unaddressed, the signs may become more pronounced. However, it is also possible that some warning signs may seemingly disappear as the addict becomes more skilled at hiding or covering up their behavior.
Additional signs of addiction may also become evident, such as:
- Increased periods of time where your loved one is unavailable/unreachable—i.e., not answering calls or responding to texts
- Dishonesty (dishonesty may only become apparent as you begin to communicate with others about your loved one’s behaviors)
- Increase in irresponsible behavior and/or risk-taking
At any time in the addiction process, your loved one is at increased risk for injury and death. As recklessness increases and trust erodes, those risks multiply.
Get the educational resources and tools you need to help your loved one get the treatment they need for alcohol abuse and/or drug addiction. Contact us to learn more about services available to family and friends of someone with a substance abuse problem.
