Addiction is a serious illness that can lead to a variety of negative outcomes. But recognizing the signs of addiction and seeking assistance can help you turn your life around. With the education and counseling available at an addiction treatment center, you can better understand your addiction and find healthy ways to cope. Although each individual and their addiction will be different, there are certain signs that you can start to recognize. The sooner you recognize these symptoms and seek help at an addiction treatment center, the sooner you can start living a healthier, sober life.
Physical Signs of Addiction
The use of drugs and alcohol will eventually start to take its toll on your body. There’s no direct timeline for when physical signs of addiction will start to appear; it just depends on the type of addiction and the physical attributes of the individual who struggles with it. Physical signs of addiction include:
- Pupil dilation
- Increased weight loss or gain without changes in diet
- Bloodshot eyes
- Difficulty falling or staying asleep
- Body odor
- Lack of coordination
- Slurred speech
While these signs may not be easy to identify in yourself, it’s important to recognize the problem when you do. While many of these can also be symptoms of other health conditions, they are the most common physical signs of addiction. If you have a mixture of these, you may need the help of an addiction treatment center.
Physical Signs of Addiction Withdrawal
Recognizing the physical signs of addiction isn’t easy, and most individuals can’t tell just by looking in a mirror. Addiction does, however, create a strong dependency in your body on drugs or alcohol to continue functioning as it should. Because of this, addiction can often be identified by the physical and psychological symptoms of withdrawal. When your body no longer has access to drugs or alcohol, it can begin to go haywire until the substance is out of your system. If you suspect you have an addiction and need assistance, pay attention to what happens to your body when you try to stop partaking in your chosen substance. Symptoms of addiction withdrawal include:
- Trembling, shaking, and seizures
- Lack of appetite
- Vomiting and nausea
- Difficulty sleeping and increased fatigue
- Depression and anxiety
- Hallucinations
- Fevers
- Headaches
An addiction treatment center can help you learn to cope and manage these symptoms without turning back to your addiction.
Behavioral Signs of Addiction
Not everyone is in tune with their body enough to recognize the physical signs of addiction or addiction withdrawal. But addiction doesn’t just affect your physical body; it also affects your mental state. Addiction is classified as a mental health disorder. It can warp your thoughts and actions, leaving noticeable imprints on your life. Recognizing when certain behavioral issues crop up can help you identify your addiction and seek help for building a sober future.
Social Impact
One of the biggest impacts addiction has is on an individual’s social life. Friends and family are more likely to notice and pick up on the signs of addiction before an individual struggling through it will. This can create a variety of situations that can help you realize it’s time to seek help. In some scenarios, friends or family members may distance themselves from you, or you may find yourself creating that distance to avoid awkward social situations. In other cases, friends and family might try to approach you about the signs of addiction. When others are able to notice these signs, it means your addiction has started to negatively impact your health and wellbeing. By listening to your loved ones, you can recognize the addiction yourself and seek the help you need at an addiction treatment center.
Obsessive Thoughts
Addiction creates a dependency in your brain that relies on drugs or alcohol to help it function. When you aren’t actively indulging in your addiction, it’s easy to spend every second thinking about the next hit. Obsessive thoughts about drugs and alcohol are common signs of addiction. An addiction treatment center can help you overcome these thoughts with healthy coping skills and techniques.
Inability to Stop
Even if you recognize addiction in yourself, it’s not always easy to stop on your own. Most individuals lack the coping mechanisms required to help them quit their addiction and recover in a healthy way. With a lack of understanding of addiction and powerful withdrawal symptoms, many individuals find themselves falling back into their addiction, no matter how much they want to stop.
How an Addiction Treatment Center Can Help
Recognizing the signs of addiction is the first step toward building a better life. But stopping addiction and learning how to live a sober future aren’t easy. With the help of an addiction treatment center, you can identify the root cause of your addiction and learn how to develop healthy coping mechanisms. By using science based education and individual counseling, addiction treatment centers have proven to be extremely effective tools in overcoming addiction.
Addiction Treatment Center in San Diego
The Bridges of San Diego is a leading addiction treatment center in a convenient location dedicated to helping individuals overcome their addictions. Our programs include both partial hospitalization and intensive outpatient treatment plans designed to help individuals with their addiction while maintaining their regular lives. We use science based education to help individuals understand their addiction so they can overcome it and build a better life. If you struggle with addiction, you are not alone. Call The Bridges of San Diego today at 619-639-1458 to learn how you can start living a sober life today.