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Drug Information:

SIGNS OF ALCOHOL & DRUG ABUSE

If you notice unexplained changes in physical appearance or behavior, it may be a sign of substance use – or it could be a sign of another problem. You will not know definitively until a health professional does a comprehensive screening.

Physical Signs

  • Change in sleeping patterns
  • Bloodshot eyes
  • Slurred or agitated speech
  • Sudden or dramatic weight loss or gain
  • Skin abrasions/bruises
  • Neglected appearance/poor hygiene
  • Sick more frequently
  • Accidents or injuries

Behavioral Signs

  • Hiding use; lying and covering up
  • Sense that the person will "do anything" to use again regardless of consequences
  • Loss of control or choice of use (drug-seeking behavior)
  • Loss of interest in previously enjoyed activities
  • Emotional instability
  • Hyperactive or hyper-aggressive
  • Depression
  • Missing school or work
  • Failure to fulfill responsibilities at school or work
  • Complaints from teachers or co-workers
  • Reports of intoxication at school or work
  • Furtive or secretive behavior
  • Avoiding eye contact
  • Locked doors
  • Going out every night
  • Change in friends or peer group
  • Change in clothing or appearance
  • Unusual smells on clothing or breath
  • Heavy use of over-the-counter preparations to reduce eye reddening, nasal irritation, or bad breath
  • Hidden stashes of alcohol
  • Alcohol missing from your supply
  • Prescription medicine missing
  • Money missing
  • Valuables missing
  • Disappearances for long periods of time
  • Running away
  • Secretive phone calls


Drug Articles

Alcoholism, is a disease that is also known as "alcohol dependence."

Club Drugs, consisting of Ecstasy, GHB, and Rohypnol, can be found at all-night "raves."

Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that directly affects the brain.

Ecstasy is a synthetic, psychoactive drug with both hallucinogenic and stimulant properties.

Fentanyl is a synthetic opiate analgesic similar to, but more potent than, morphine.

Hallucinogens cause profound distortions in a person's perceptions of reality.

Heroin is processed from morphine and appears as a white or brown powder.

Inhalants consist of paint, white out, lighter fluid, air fresheners, hair spray and markers.

LSD is a colorless, odorless drug sold in tablets, capsules, and liquid forms.

Marijuana is a mixture of dried, shredded leaves of the hemp plant Cannabis sativa.

Methamphetamines can be found in a powder, crystal, or table-like form.

Rohypnol has been a concern for the last few years due to its abuse as a "date rape" drug.

Drug & Alcohol News:

Turning to the Use (and Abuse) of Drugs, Alcohol and/or Tobacco in Times of Stress...

Facts About Alcohol--From Social Drinking to Dangerous Dependence

Harsh Truths About Cocaine

Millions of Americans in Denial About Their Own Substance Abuse

Binge Drinking: Too Often a Deadly "Game"

Women Often Experience Drug Abuse and Addiction Quite Differently Than Men

What's Alcoholism's Affect on Mental Health?

Smoking and Pregnancy: What Are the Risks?

Troubled Teens in the Wilderness Learn to Love Learning

Study Shows Most Treatment Effective Against Alcoholism

How Much Drinking Is Too Much?

Does Your Family's History of Alcoholism Put You at Risk?

OxyContin...Potential Fast Track To Addiction

Drug Rehab Programs

Marijuana, Memory, and the Hippocampus

Prescription Painkiller Abuse on the Rise With Teens

Modern Rites of Passage in the Wilderness: Guiding Young People to a Sober Adulthood

Alcohol Affects Older People Differently

Females Typically Have Different Motivations For Drug Use

Cognitive-Behavioral Approach to Treating Cocaine Addiction

The Future of Teen Addiction Treatment--Trends and Predictions from Jeff Nalin, Psy.D.

Want to Cut Down on Your Drinking??

Understanding How Wilderness Therapy Programs Change Teens

Treating “Peter Pan Syndrome” with Wilderness Therapy

The Link Between PTSD and Substance Abuse

Methamphetamine: Highly Addictive and Highly Dangerous

Drugs and Memory

Closing the Gender Gap in Addiction Treatment

Marijuana's Memory Effects Tied to Misfiring Brain Cells

Rapid Detox - Rapid Opiate Detox - What is it?

Methamphetamine Remains Number One Drug Problem

Intermittent Explosive Disorder (IED) Affects up to 16 Million Americans