HOW CAN I TELL IF SOMEONE HAS A DRUG ADDICTION?
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, people are considered ADDICTED if they experience 3 or more of the following:
Loss of Control: over taking a drug. At times, people who are addicted wing up using a drug even when they don't want to or weren't planning to.
Obsessive Thoughts: People who are addicted spend a LOT of time thinking about things like HOW they're going to get the next dose, WHEN they're going to get it, and WHERE they are going to use it.
Continued Abuse in Spite of Serious Consequences: Such as getting poor grades, losing a job, or being dumped by friends.
Dependence: When a person's body is so used to a drug, it needs or craves it in order to feel good. There are 2 kinds of dependence: Physical Dependence: When the body's cells are so used to a drug that they need it in order to feel normal. Psychological Dependence: When people believe they need a drug to feel good emotionally.
Withdrawal: Occurs when addicts suddenly stop taking the drugs. Can include headaches, dizziness, vomiting, cold sweats, shakiness, anxiety, irritability, or depression. Sounds like fun...right? Wrong!
Tolerance: This occurs when the body or brain cells become so used to getting a drug that the person needs to keep increasing the amount in order to get the same effects.
WARNING!
Increasing the amounts of a drug can lead to OVERDOSE!
Overdose means taking too much of a drug causing severe mental confusion, convulsions, come and sometimes even death.