As one of the founders of Stillwater Behavioral Health, a dual diagnosis treatment center, Nicholas Mathews knows every patient’s journey is personal and unique. Yet, it can be helpful to identify themes that commonly emerge in stories of addiction. That way, friends and family members can recognize the signs of substance abuse and take action to help their loved ones recover. That’s why we asked him how to tell if someone might have a substance abuse problem.
“The rules are not hard and fast,” Mathews said. “Some addicts are very good at hiding their addiction, especially at the beginning. Social stigma and embarrassment often come with substance abuse. Families may also be hesitant to realize that someone they love has a problem. But recognizing the signs of a substance abuse problem can help people intervene before the worst happens and the person they love becomes part of a terrifying statistic.”
How To Spot the Signs?
When we love someone, it can be difficult to find fault with them. When we see a person every day, it can also be hard to notice subtle changes that may point to a problem. But here are some red flags to look out for:
– Changes in Personality: According to Mathews, a shift in personality is one of the first and most obvious signs people may recognize in the person they love. “A formerly organized and motivated individual may become sloppy or seem lazy. A cheerful person may experience uncommon bouts of depression. A kind person may come off as angry and easily irritated,” he said.
– Changes in Appearance: With wild mood swings and personality shifts come changes in outward appearance. Mathews said personal hygiene is one of the first things to be put on the back burner when someone begins abusing a substance. They may have bloodshot eyes, ashen skin, sores, scabs, or lose a large amount of weight.
– Changes in Movement/Speech: “A person embroiled in addiction may have shakes or tremors,” says Mathews. Other possible changes include slurred speech, unsteady movement, or signs of injuries that occurred while they were under the influence.
– Financial Woes: “Addictions are expensive,” says Mathews. “And not only with the cost to one’s health and eventually one’s life. If someone is suddenly asking for money all of the time or experiencing financial hardship where they hadn’t before, it may indicate an issue.”
– New Friends or New Activities: When a person comes under the influence of an addiction, it changes everything. Suddenly, the people they spent time with pre-addiction get pushed to the sidelines. The addict will seek out a new social group to support their new lifestyle. They may also get attracted to new activities and abandon things that once made them happy.
When you work with addicts and try to lead them to a path of recovery, it’s integral to emphasize self-love and self-respect. Many signs that addiction has taken hold of a person indicate an abandonment of these two essential ideals. “I learned well through my addiction journey that my inability to love myself or be kind to myself fed my self-destruction. Finding those motivators again provides a path to sobriety, as well as continued success staying sober,” said Mathews.
The Pandemic Problem
According to a study by the CDC conducted in June of 2020, 40% of American adults admitted to either beginning or ramping up their substance abuse to cope with pandemic-related stress. There were an estimated 100,000 drug overdose deaths in the twelve months from April 2020 to April 2021, an increase of 28.5% from the 78,056 deaths during the same period from 2019-2020.
“The COVID Pandemic has amplified an already harrowing issue with substance abuse in the United States,” said Mathews. “Issues related to the pandemic such as isolation, boredom, loneliness, and job/income loss contributed to the amplified substance abuse issue,” he said. “This left many families and loved ones searching for answers around how to help someone experiencing issues.”
Mathews’ program at Stillwater Behavioral Health maintains a treatment philosophy rooted in kindness, empathy, compassion, and understanding. Education for friends and family members and recovering addicts the addict is key to successful recovery.
