9 Oct 2013

At Suncoast Rehab we see people every day who are fighting the battle against drug abuse.  During withdrawals, people can go through a personality shift, from grouchy to happy, from bored with life to enthusiastic about the little things.  We have even seen one graduate who went from fully medicated for emotional issues to completely stable and free of medication.  This was because the emotional problems he was experiencing were actually from the drugs he was abusing – not from himself.

Emotional disturbance

Some people begin abusing drugs specifically to resolve their emotional issues. Others become addicted in order to block something out or to numb themselves to their mental and/or physical pain. Even more, some people change completely because they are addicted to drugs.  They become a “drug personality” and are not emotionally stable or happy.  Often, drug addicts act completely differently from how they acted before the drugs.  Some of the emotional signs of addiction include:

  • A lack of interest in hobbies, sports or work.
  • No longer caring about their physical well being – often made obvious by a lack of grooming or bathing.
  • Unexplained changes in personality or attitude.  (Note this one and think back at times when people seemed to emotionally “flip” on you.)
  • Mood swings with angry outbursts or suddenly laughing for no reason.  (Think about this one as well.)
  • Irritability, agitation or periods of extreme action – where they can’t sit still.
  • Acting paranoid, fearful, anxious, withdrawn or panicking for no reason.
  • Refusing to be around people – isolating themselves from those who love them.

There are mood disorders specifically related to drugs, like drug-induced anxiety disorder, drug-induced psychosis, and drug-induced mood disorder.  All such disorders can be created by the side-effects of any number of drugs (just read up on these side-effects – you may be surprised).

Really obvious examples of emotional problems caused by drug abuse include the now famous Carl Jacquneaux – the Louisiana man who bit another man’s face while on bath salts.  But what about the more subtle issues discussed above?  How can you tell if your friend or family member is addicted to drugs or is suffering from real panic attacks or depression?

There are many signs of drug addiction beyond the emotional signs listed above.  Several such signs are:

  1. They have drug paraphernalia in their room, on their person, or stashed somewhere.  Such paraphernalia can include: syringes, bongs, rolling paper, foil wrappers, plastic baggies, short pipes (for meth or crack),
    Marijuana abuser
    unlabeled pill bottles, pill bottles with someone else’s name on them, roach clip, glass vials, miniature spoons, burned metal spoons, short straws, empty pen tubes, and more.
  2. Before going out, they have to “pregame” by drinking or taking a drug prior to leaving the house.
  3. Money seems to go missing around them.
  4. There are needle marks in obscure or even obvious locations around the person’s body.
  5. They are constantly missing from where they are supposed to be – whether this be work, school or home, they are not there.
  6. They have suddenly dropped some major pounds, or have gained them.  Drugs work in funny ways on different people.  If you have ever seen the “faces of meth” campaign, you’ll know that even meth, which is supposed to make you skinny, can make some people morbidly obese.  Major, swift weight changes can be a sign someone is abusing drugs.
  7. Food has no appeal or they get hungry at odd hours.
  8. They have stopped sleeping during normal hours – or at all.
  9. They can’t sleep without help from drugs or alcohol.
  10. Suddenly changing their friends, hangouts, and hobbies.
  11. Getting into legal trouble, unexplained fights with others or have unexplained injuries.
  12. They get shakes and tremors, sweats, slurred speech, stumbling about, and other signs of withdrawal or intoxication.
  13. Their eyes are bloodshot, they get frequent nosebleeds or they have seizures or convulsions with no history of epilepsy.

But back to the topic at hand – how drug abuse affects one emotionally.  These effects are real.  It affects not only the person, but also his family, friends, work associates, etc.  And just in case you may think the addict is having a great time, he is not.  The physical pain that goes along with the emotional “flip” is real.  The anger at himself for “flipping out” on the friend or family or co-worker is real.  This can lead to more drug use to try to stop/control the emotional outbursts and changes in personality.  The action of adding even more drugs to the mix can only make the situation worse or harder to control.

Studying

Getting help to those who are exhibiting signs of drug or alcohol addiction can save their lives and prevent them from having terrible emotional problems as well as physical issues.  When a person goes through rehab, they usually need to do more than simply withdraw from drugs. That is a necessary first step. 

Once they are fully clean from the effects of the drugs or alcohol they have taken, they are then in shape to address the emotion and interpersonal issues which contributed to their addiction in the first place. The Narconon program accomplishes this by providing the individual with a series of Life Skill courses. These give the recovering addict the knowledge and tools necessary to find out about himself and then find out how to deal with others and to handle situations which, previously, may literally have driven him to drink or drugs. 

With the dual approach of addressing the physical problems from prolonged drug or alcohol abuse and then addressing the emotional and personal side of the equation, those who go through the Narconon program are able to graduate prepared to take on life, to create a positive, productive and happy life, free from drugs and alcohol abuse.

If you or someone you love is showing signs of addiction,  contact us at (877) 850-7355. We stand ready to help them embark on a journey to a drug free life.

Refs: NCADD.org, Drugs.ie, Livestrong.com, Huffingtonpost.com

Disclaimer: The information in this article is not intended to take the place of a medical professional’s advice or a face-to-face medical assessment.  The information in this article is presented to provide educational information only.  It does not diagnose, treat, prevent or cure anything. Please contact a professional if you need a diagnosis or treatment of a condition.

 

NARCONON SUNCOAST

DRUG EDUCATION AND REHABILITATION