Signs Someone Is on Drugs: How to Tell if a Loved One Is Using

Understanding Drug Addiction

What Is Substance Use Disorder?

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a medical condition that causes alcohol or drug misuse and problematic drug or alcohol use. 

It is a recognized brain and behavioral condition in which addiction treatment is necessary. SUD is a complex condition that decreases an individual’s capacity to stop using drugs and significantly impacts their lives and the lives of those they love. 

How Does Drug Addiction Develop?

Drugs like opioids, stimulants, prescription drugs, and others hijack the brain’s natural reward centers with ongoing substance use or substance abuse.

Over time, this causes the brain to be rewired, impacting motivation, self-control, and critical thinking capacities. 

The timeline for developing addiction varies depending on the substance. Certain substances, such as opioids, can cause physical dependence incredibly quickly and rapidly result in addiction. Other variables such as the pattern of use, genetic factors, and mental health challenges also play a role in drug addiction development. 

Is Drug Addiction Genetic?

While there is not a single gene responsible for drug addiction, it is partially heritable. 

According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), genetics account for about 40-60% of a person’s risk for developing SUD. An individual’s environment, mental health challenges, and other factors also play a role in the development of drug addiction. 

Recognizing the Signs of Unhealthy Drug Use in Loved Ones

Signs of Drug Use or Intoxication

If your loved one is using drugs, there will be changes in their physical appearance, behavioral health, and mental health. 

Both physical and behavioral signs are important indicators that drug abuse is negatively impacting your loved one’s well-being. By recognizing these signs early, you can help your loved one get the help they need. 

Physical Signs

The physical signs of drug use vary depending on the specific substance.

Common physical signs of intoxication include slurred speech, drowsiness, and bloodshot eyes, while common physical signs of drug use include mood swings, dilated pupils, and weight loss. 

What Are Common Behavioral Signs That Someone Might Be Using Drugs?

When someone uses drugs, behavioral signs often include hyperactivity and moodiness. 

Additional signs someone is on drugs include increased secrecy, sudden or increased legal trouble, financial problems, and changes in sleep patterns. 

Can the Signs of Drug Use Vary Based on the Type of Substance Involved?

The signs of drug use do vary depending on the specific type of substance. 

For example. methamphetamine use and the use of amphetamines commonly cause hyperactivity, while benzodiazepines, Xanax, and depressants cause drowsiness and heavy sedation. In addition, cannabis and hallucinogens cause bloodshot eyes and cognitive changes. 

Concealing Their Drug Abuse

Hidden or Hiding Drugs

Secrecy, including hiding drugs, is one way to tell if someone is on drugs.

Hidden substance use or abuse commonly also includes hidden drug paraphernalia, especially for young people who are using drugs or alcohol. Many individuals hide drugs due to shame, embarrassment, or the desire to avoid the consequences of their drug use. 

A Noticeable Increase in Tolerance

Ongoing drug abuse causes changes in the brain, which leads to increased tolerance and eventually substance use disorder or alcohol use disorder. 

As a result, one of the signs of addiction is a higher dose being necessary to produce the same effect. The physiological adaptations cause dependence and addiction, a complex disease that is best treated through a comprehensive addiction treatment program. 

Withdrawing From Certain People Who Might Intervene

Ongoing substance abuse causes changes in the brain, resulting in loss of control and a physical dependence on drugs or alcohol. 

Through the process of brain rewiring, it is common for priorities to shift, resulting in social changes and social withdrawal. 

Specifically, withdrawing from individuals who are likely to intervene commonly occurs as a way to continue to use or abuse drugs. This is how to know if someone is abusing drugs, as they will seek ways to protect their ongoing drug use, including withdrawing from specific individuals. 

Family & Relationships

Has There Been a Change in Your Loved One’s Relationships With You and Family Members?

If you are wondering, “How can you tell if someone is on drugs?” in relation to your loved ones, it is important to consider changes in their relationships with both you and other family members. 

While relationships are always in an ongoing process of growth and change, changes in relationships due to substance abuse or addiction are one of many warning signs for family members. 

This is commonly due to family members being in a position to help a loved one seek help, such as detox or inpatient addiction treatment. Due to the changes in the brain that drive drug behavior and make stopping the use of drugs difficult or impossible, addiction causes people to avoid close relationships. 

Do You See Changes With the People or Friends They Socialize With?

Isolation is a common sign of drug use or drug abuse, as well as changes in a person’s social circle. 

If you see changes in a loved one’s friends, activities, or ordinary social habits, this could be a sign that they are struggling with drug or alcohol abuse. Unfortunately, isolation increases an individual’s risk factors for substance use disorders and can promote unhealthy drug or alcohol use. 

Have Their Social Activities Changed?

Changes in activities, such as no longer attending previously enjoyed activities or shifting to a new and higher-risk activity, can be a sign of substance use. 

If you are wondering if your loved one is struggling with drug use, look at their social activities now and compare them to a time before their suspected drug use began. 

In addition to a drastic shift in social activities, how they engage in these activities can also change, causing them to be less enthusiastic or committed to social matters. 

Are They Participating in Riskier Behavior?

High-risk behaviors often occur with drug use or alcohol use. 

If someone you love is beginning to engage in riskier behavior, this can be, in part, due to the influence of drugs or alcohol. Riskier behavior could include driving under the influence, taking risks in terms of their health or health care, violence, or taking large financial risks. 

Are They Experiencing Difficulty in Work or School?

With ongoing substance abuse, daily life becomes extremely difficult to manage.

If your loved one is struggling to meet day-to-day responsibilities at work or at school, it could be a result of substance abuse. These responsibilities become more challenging due to changes in the brain that reduce a person’s capacity for mental clarity, short-term memory, and more. 

Staging an Intervention

How Can I Plan for an Intervention?

Planning an intervention includes taking stock of the specific challenges your loved one is facing and planning an intervention that they are more likely to respond to. 

This process starts with planning, including laying out the specific challenges, the right people to be a part of the intervention, the best time, and the ideal location. All aspects of an intervention plan should be impactful and supportive without scaring them away. 

Express Feelings With Care

An important aspect of an intervention is to express your feelings associated with their substance abuse and addiction.

Each individual attending the intervention can write down their feelings, commonly in the form of a letter, which is helpful, that pertain to their substance abuse. The goal of the intervention is to draw boundaries and make it clear that their actions are impacting others.

Expressing feelings with care takes skill, and each individual should prepare what they would like to share prior to the intervention to reduce confusion and increase clear communication. 

What If My Loved One Becomes Upset?

The nature of an intervention means confronting your loved one head-on, which commonly causes distress. 

If your loved one becomes upset, it is important to stay calm, avoid getting caught in an argument with them, and continue with the pre-planned core message.

Generally, an intervention includes a message that the individual needs to seek professional help and offers direction with treatment programs that would be a good fit for them. While they may lack motivation to change prior to the intervention, it can provide a structured plan for them to seek help. 

Gather Resources for Support

One of the best things you can do is to gather information and resources that support your goals for your intervention. 

The Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) offers resources to better understand the nature of substance abuse, addiction, and treatment options. By educating yourself on SUD, you can better understand the challenges your loved one is facing and the best route forward for recovery. 

Set and Maintain Clear Boundaries

One of the primary goals for an intervention is to set and maintain clear boundaries for your loved one.

Clear boundaries in an intervention often take the form of an ultimatum and make it clear that treatment is the only option. 

Reach Out to an Interventionalist

An interventionalist is a professional who can help you structure and manage an intervention for your loved one.

If you believe that your loved one’s response to an intervention is unlikely to have a favorable outcome, become violent, or cause mental health issues or suicidal ideation, an interventionist can help. They can help the intervention stay on track and promote open, supportive communication. 

Professional Help & Treatment

Helping Your Loved One Seek Professional Help

Evidence-based, professional addiction treatment can help your loved one recover from addiction.

To support their recovery, you can help them find professional help that fits their unique needs. By being involved in the process of finding help, you help them find the right program and learn how to best support their ongoing recovery and wellness. 

How to Find the Right Drug Addiction Program for Your Loved One

Finding the right addiction treatment program for your loved one includes assessing their needs and goals, and learning about what potential treatment programs offer. 

Resources like SAMHSA and NIDA can help you locate drug addiction programs that may be the right fit for your loved one. 

Additionally, speaking with admissions staff at Hawaii Island Recovery and other treatment facilities can help you better understand what programs offer and how they could help your loved one on their road to recovery. 

What Should You and Your Loved One Look for in Drug Treatment?

When exploring drug treatment options, you and your loved one should look for an accredited facility that offers individualized treatment plans, evidence-based therapies, and experienced addiction professionals.

Effective addiction treatment includes multiple evidence-based therapies that support long-term change, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and others. Understanding what therapeutic interventions are available helps ensure that they offer treatments that will help you or your loved one recover.

Treatment centers also offer different levels of care and length of stay. If you are seeking treatment, understanding these offerings helps you and your loved one know if they are the right fit for your needs. 

Most importantly, choose a treatment center where your loved one feels respected, supported, and comfortable taking the next steps toward recovery.

When to Seek Emergency Help

Seek emergency medical attention if your loved one experiences signs of a drug overdose, severe withdrawal symptoms, difficulty breathing, seizures, loss of consciousness, or extreme confusion.

Call 911 immediately if you suspect an overdose or another life-threatening emergency. Prompt medical care can prevent serious complications and provide a safer path toward addiction treatment and recovery.

How Hawaii Island Recovery Helps Families Heal From Drug Addiction Together

At Hawaii Island Recovery, we offer family programs as part of our residential addiction treatment.

We understand that addiction impacts the entire family, and we provide care that can help you and your loved one heal as a family. We also offer education to help you learn how to best support your loved one throughout the treatment process, what signs of relapse to watch for, and resources that you can rely on.