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Sometimes it is tough to tell if a friend or a loved one has a problem. Most people won't walk up to someone they're close to and ask for help. In fact, they will probably do everything possible to deny or hide the problem. But, there are certain warning signs that may indicate a family member or friend is using drugs and drinking too much alcohol.
If your friend or loved one has one or more of the following signs, he or she may have a problem with drugs or alcohol:
| Physical |
- Deterioration of physical appearance
and grooming.
- Fatigue, run-down, sleeping in, hung
over in mornings, repeated health complaints, red and glazed
eyes and a lasting cough.
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| Emotional |
- Personality change, sudden mood changes, easily irritated,
general changes in overall attitude, irresponsible behavior,
poor judgment and a general lack of interest.
- Feeling hopeless, depressed or even suicidal.
- Unusual flare-ups or outbreaks of temper.
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| Family |
- Starting arguments, breaking rules, or withdrawing from
the family.
- Living a hotel/motel existence.
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| Work/School |
- Decreased interest, negative attitude.
- Abrupt changes in work or quality
of work, /grades, absences, and discipline problems.
- Promises to straighten out but
unable to keep commitments.
- Withdrawal from responsibilities.
- Suspension and warnings from work/school
for an alcohol-or drug-related incident.
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| Social |
- New friends who are less interested
in standard home and school activities, problems with the
law, and changes to less conventional styles in dress and
music.
- Unusual borrowing of money from
family & friends.
- Stealing small items from employer
or home. Secretive behaviour regarding actions and possessions.
- Poorly concealed attempts to avoid
suspicion such as frequent trips to storage rooms, restroom,
garage and basement.
- Lying about things, or the amount
of drugs or alcohol they are using.
- Giving up activities they used
to do such as sports, hobbies, stop socializing with non-using
friends.
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Many of the signs, such as sudden changes
in mood, difficulty in getting along with others, poor job, irritability,
and depression, might be explained by other causes. Unless you observe
drug use or excessive drinking, it can be hard to determine the
cause of these problems. Parents/loved ones may recognize signs
of trouble but should not be expected to make the diagnosis. Your
first step is to contact a qualified alcohol and drug professional
who can give you further advice.
At New Life Counselling we have developed a comprehensive assessment system
that will determine if, and to what degree, chemical dependency
is a problem in a persons life.
In addition consulting a physician to rule out physical causes of
the warning signs is a good adjunct to our assessment. This should
often be followed or accompanied by a comprehensive evaluation by
a psychiatrist or mental health professional.
To see if a problem exsits, please try
the drug and alcohol
assesments.
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