Drug addiction is like an infectious disease that silently creeps inside you, comes out at your most fragile days, and slowly eats your very self until there’s no more “you” left.
Sounds terrifyingly disturbing, but that’s the reality of using illegal drugs.
Still, hope should not be lost even if you think that your situation is far from being redeemable. Seeking support from a dedicated recovery centre like Sivana Bali, committing to a total change of lifestyle, and engaging in constant therapy are some of the best ways to deal with drug addiction.
However, there’s one simple thing you can do to stop using drugs and that’s through knowledge.
- Dependence on Drugs
Drug dependence is the most obvious sign of addiction. For users, life is not the same without the drug. Your body weakens physically and mentally.
At this stage, your brain’s chemistry has been fundamentally altered, making the substance feel as necessary for survival as food or water.
Beyond the physical cravings for the drug, the psychological effect is also significant. You feel sad, anxious, and compulsive, and it seems like the world is going to end if you can’t take the drug to which you are addicted.
- Abnormal Body Conditions
Drug addicts lose control over themselves because they develop a strong connection with the substance. A person who is addicted to drugs will do anything just to have more.
This includes selling drugs, stealing, or committing crimes that could land them in jail.
The psychological behaviour becomes so distorted that clear thinking becomes impossible.
They lose the ability to think clearly for themselves because their psychological behaviour gets messed up. Bloodshot eyes and frequent nosebleeds are other signs of addiction.
Snorting powdered drugs like meth and cocaine can damage nasal tissues. This dilates the blood vessels, and in the process, reddens their eyes.
- Increased Tolerance
Prolonged use builds up your tolerance to a drug. This means that you need more of the drug to achieve its desired effects.
This leads to a host of problems, like spending huge amounts of money and risking your life just to get your drug-of-choice.
What makes things worse is that financial trouble causes addicts to become violent and hurt the people around them.
The increased stress and withdrawal from this drug causes them to hurt the very people they care for the most.
- Need for Isolation
Addiction thrives in the dark. Do you feel anxious and paranoid, and wish to retreat to an isolated place? If so, then that could be a sign of addiction if you’re into drugs.
People struggling with substance abuse often withdraw from social circles, hobbies, and family gatherings.
People who can’t control their urge to take drugs keep their habit to themselves because of the stigma associated with drug addiction and the fear of possibly going to jail if they commit a crime to continue to fund their addiction.
This loneliness only fuels the cycle of use, as the drug becomes the only remaining “companion” in an increasingly small and paranoid world.
Final Thoughts
Illegal drugs should never be underestimated. They’re powerful and have a very negative influence on health and behaviour.
Taking in just a few grams of illicit drugs or smoking just one cigarette can lead to more.
As much as possible, avoid taking these substances that not only damage you physically, but also affect your mental and emotional health as well.
However, recognising these signs is the first step toward reclaiming your life.
By choosing a path of recovery through a facility, you can begin to break these cycles and rediscover the you that addiction tried to take from you.
