Warning Signs

The terms substance abuse and addiction are often confused. Individuals coping with substance abuse are those who continue to take drugs or alcohol even though they understand the negative impact it is having on their life (addiction refers to the point in time when an individual becomes dependent on drugs or alcohol).

Substance abuse is a slippery slope towards addiction, and as such must be recognized and addressed at as early a stage as possible. Here are several important warning signs to watch for if you suspect someone close to you is involved with substance abuse.

Substance Abuse Warning Signs

• Driving while intoxicated.

  People who drive under the influence of alcohol or drugs have moved beyond making good decisions, and towards substance abuse. Driving while intoxicated is a prime example of that kind of behavior.



• Suddenly poor attendance and/or bad grades at school.

  When an individual reaches the level of substance abuse, they become less reliable and find it difficult to focus on anything but the pursuit of their drug of choice. School performance is one of the first things to suffer when this occurs.



• Poor work performance.

  Similar to the situation at school, individuals with a substance abuse problem will begin to fall out of favor at work, dropping the ball on key assignments and missing scheduled meetings.



• Replacing old friends with new ones.

  Those who become involved with drugs and alcohol often find that the friends they've had for years can no longer relate to them. To remedy this, substance abusers seek out new sets of friends who are involved in something closer to their own drug or alcohol-related lifestyle.



• Withdrawn behavior.

  Even the most social individuals may become isolated or withdrawn when using drugs. This behavior compounds the problem, as it removes the accountability from the individual's life, which creates fertile territory for the addiction to grow.



• Illegal behavior.

  People with a substance abuse problem will do anything to support their habit. That includes stealing and other crimes that could run the individual afoul of the law. These activities can even come from those who were never previously in trouble with the police.



• Lying.

  Lies are a primary function of those with a substance abuse problem. The individual will lie about many things when involved with drugs or alcohol, including their whereabouts, why they need to borrow money, the reasons for their poor performance at work and school, etc. These fabrications lead to the destruction of many relationships. Once an individual has completed drug rehab, a great deal of time is spent coming clean about these lies, and rebuilding the relationships that were damaged during the period of alcohol or drug abuse.

At Michael’s House, substance abuse is taken very seriously. The experts on staff understand the negative impact it can have on a family, and how quickly it can lead to full addiction. Using ground-breaking treatment procedures, and a customized program that really speaks to each individual, Michael’s House finds solutions. Contact Michael’s House today at 760.548.4032 for more information. A caring professional is ready to take your call!