Signs of Alcohol & Drug Abuse

Signs of Addiction

When it comes to drug or alcohol addiction it tends to start first with experimental use in social situations with frequency escalating at various rates. For some individuals as drug or alcohol use becomes more frequent the risk of addiction can be realized more rapidly. Additionally, some drugs or alcohol can cause dependency more quickly than others. As the addiction increases so do the signs and symptoms. Below are some helpful indicators to help see potential signs of alcohol and/or drug abuse.

PHYSICAL SIGNS

Smelling of alcohol, marijuana or stale smoke
Strong chemical odor (in room, on clothing, on breath)
Mask-like facial expression
Lack of pain response
Rapid muscle gain
Violent
Slurred speech
Disorientation
Sweating
Poor coordination
Frequent minor illnesses (headaches, nausea, vomiting, slight tremors, flu- like symptoms, sluggishness)
Paranoia (Excessive use of drugs or alcohol)
Extremely talkative or fast speech
Runny nose or bloody nose
Jaw-clenching
Neglects taking prescribed medications or takes more medication than usual
Memory lapses
Noticeable weight loss or unusual eating patterns (types of food, amounts, time of day)
Dry mouth
Dry or itchy skin
Acne
Picking at skin or hair
Signs of injection or arm infections
Red eyes and frequent use of eye drops
Dilated pupils
Change in normal sleep patterns (more or less than usual, frequent naps)
Injuries occurring more often
Frequent respiratory, eyes, venereal, or cut infections that rarely heal
More frequent complaints of pain or illness
Severe cough that does not go away

EMOTIONAL SIGNS

Depression
Impaired judgment (putting self in dangerous situations)
Talking about or attempting suicide
Violent or threatening (verbally or physically)
Lethargic or uninterested
Mood swings
Operating at an inappropriate maturity level
Increased emotional responses (more emphatic than individual would normally be)
Paranoia (Excessive use of drugs or alcohol)
Psychosis
Mania

FAMILY, FRIENDS & OTHER SOCIAL SIGNS

Isolation from family members (hiding in room, locking bedroom door) and avoiding family activities
Exhibiting negative attitude toward rules and parents
Failing to follow through on promises
Sneaking out of the house
Becoming manipulative
Lying
Stealing medications from family members that have not been prescribed to the individual
Changing several friends or changing peer groups
Suddenly popular with friends who are older and unknown to family
More frequent phone calls from new friend
Social activities occurring more often, sometimes at odd hours
Thrill seeking behaviors, evidence of law breaking, promiscuity signs and other dangerous physical situations

SCHOOL & LEGAL ISSUES

Lacking motivation and lower grades
Sleeping in class
Skipping class or school
Dropping out of school activities
Becoming disrespectful of teachers, administrators and rules
Frequently being disciplined at school
Suspended or expelled from school
Shoplifting from stores or stealing from family members
Unmanageable behaviors like skipping school and not following family rules
Incidents or Charges for Public Intoxication, DUI, Vandalism,
Breaking and Entering Underage Use
Involved in car accidents or near misses
Selling drugs

OTHER SIGNS

Poor management of money
Spending large sums of money and always asking for more money
Having drug paraphernalia in bedroom or school locker
Reading drug oriented magazines or watching drug related movies obsessively
Wearing drug oriented clothing and accessories
Talking about drugs
Smoke, ambient deodorant or strong perfume odor
Eye Avoidance
Small bottles with screw on lids for storing cocaine (usually)
Small plastic packets with white residue
Chemicals missing in the home or quantities decreasing quickly
Paper bags or rags used to sniff the chemicals
Discarded containers of whipped cream or spray paint

USE OF DRUG SLANG

Cubes
Dots
Sugar
Strawberry fields
Sunshine
Tabs
Window pane
Trips
Squirrel
Pane
Pace
Paper
Big C
Blanco/blanca
Blow
Blast
Bolivian
Caine
Charlie
Columbian
Girl
Heaven
Happy Powder
Mama Coca
Mojo
Nose
Peruvian
Pimp
Powder
She
Sniff
Snort
Snow
Toot
Star
Trails
White Lady
Stardust
Crack or Freebase
Bedrock
24-7
Bad
Basing
Boost

Bump
Cloud
Hardball
Fry
Ice
Piles,
Sherms
Whack
Clarity
Crystal
Decadence
G
X
Herbal Bliss
Wafer
Exotically
Gum
Shabu
Love drug
Cloud Nine
Herbal X
Rave Energy
XTC
Alquitran
Anti-freeze
Aries
Beast
Big H
Brown sugar
Chine white
Brown
Crap
Dirt
DOA
Dope
Dr. feelgood
Gallup
Gato
Gold
Goodhorse
H
Hard
Henrry
Harry

Shoot-up
Skag
Spoon
Smack
Shoot
Tigre de blanco
Quill
Mayo
Karachi
Wings
Witch
Amy
Army
Bolt
Climax
Lockerroom
Nitrates
Oz
Snappers
Thrust
Whippets
Weed
Ganja
Bud
IZM
Ju-Ju
Mary and Johnny
Mary Jane
Mary Jonas
Mow the grass
Moving the lawn
Bowl
Broccoli
Budda
Butter flower
Pine
Cannabis
Root
Rope
Sen
Shrimp
Siddi
Crying weed
Toke

Wheat
Wooz
Yeh
Yellow submarine
Grata
Griff
Gungun
Herb
Crystal Meth
Crank
Bathtub crank
Glass
Pep pills
Stove top
Uppers
Tweak
Whitecross
Speedball
Go fast
Granulated orange
Gorilla pills
Rocket fuel
Trank
Jet fuel
Wave
Purple plain
Prozac
Greens
Green and whites
Zacs
Pros
Limes
Zoloft
Zs
Zoomer
Z-loft
As
Anabols
Gym candy
Oxys
GHB
Pumpers
Arnies
Stackers
Weight trainers, etc.

You don’t have to do this alone.

We Can Help

Back2Basics Outdoor Adventure Recovery offers mental health and/or substance abuse residential treatment for men and accepts insurance or “private pay”. Back2Basics Outdoors Adventures uniquely combines Intensive Therapeutic Counseling, Outdoor Adventures and Residential Individual & Group Treatment to provide the best possible route to achieve long-term results.

Contact Us Directly

WHERE WE ARE
Flagstaff, Arizona
P: (928) 814-2220
F: (928) 774-4126
Office Hours: Open 24-Hours

POSTAL ADDRESS
Center for Treatment Services :
1600 W University Ave Suite 205, Flagstaff AZ 86001

As Seen In: