Bodily Appearance
Cosmetic
No Longer Wears Make-up
Lack of concern over their physical appearance can be an indication of a variety of different difficulties or drugs of abuse. If your child appears depressed and lethargic, the use of alcohol, marijuana, or other depressive drugs may be to blame. An extreme lack of motivation can be a primary side effect of chronic marijuana use, effecting many areas of your kid’s life. If your kid is intoxicated on alcohol they can very often lose interest in their physical appearance as well, and develop a rebellious or uncaring attitude towards their hygiene. Different substances affect individuals differently, and an important constant to keep an eye on is changes in your kid’s attitude and appearance as opposed to their typical behavior. Lack of concern regarding appearance can often be a warning flag that should be paid close attention to.
Skin
Callous Index Finger
Burn marks along the fingers are tell-tale signs of habitual drug use, be it from the ashes of a marijuana pipe, the underside of a heroin cooker, or the sooty residue from cooking and consuming crack cocaine. Because the user is often aware of these discolorations they will go out of their way to cover them up, resulting in gray streaks along the fingers, or black markings under the nails. If you kid has symptoms of these markings, or develops a sudden need to wash his or her hands constantly then your child may be using one of the above substances.
Discoloration
Cellulitis
Cellulitis is a deep infection of the skin, usually accompanied by generalized (systemic) symptoms such as fever and chills. The area of redness increases in size as the infection spreads. Physical signs and symptoms include chills or shaking, fatigue, generally ill feeling, muscle aches and pains, warm skin, sweating, and even nausea and vomiting. Cellulitis in a younger person can often be due to a weakened immune system, and can even more often be the result of drug or alcohol abuse, and the corresponding lack of interest in their physical well being. If you believe your child has this condition you should take them to a doctor immediately, so that the infection does not worsen and that they can be given the appropriate medical treatment. It may also be time to have a discussion about their drinking and drug use, and what may have precipitated their infection.
Aging
In combination with cellulitis and other conditions of the skin (such as dryness) that afflict both alcoholics and stimulant abusers, the skin can begin to look much older than the user’s actual age. Sleeplessness and other side-effects of use can also lead to aging symptoms, such as graying skin and large discolored circles around the eye sockets. If your child looks consistently tired, or appears to have aged years in only months the chances re good that they have been abusing stimulants or heavily drinking. Occasionally opiate use can lead to a similar set of effects, including an unnaturally pale appearance and unusual sleeping routines, often staying up late into the night and sleeping throughout the day. When you take a look at you child’s appearance try to contrast with a relatively recent photo, since the slow transition to use may make their current appearance seem less out of the ordinary. The most important factor to notice is whether or not your child appears to look and act in a way that’s normal for them.
Scars
Circular scars
When an intravenous drug user misses a vein, or injects into a muscle the site and scars can appear as bruises and discoloration. As a result the IV drug user will try to mask the sites of their injection with ‘cover-up’ or other flesh toned make-up designed to return their skin to a normal shade. If your kid’s skin looks mottled and painted over the chances are that he/she is trying to cover up the track marks and signs of addiction experienced by most heroin users, Using camouflage to conceal bruising or injection site swelling is often only part of the attempt to conceal. Your child may also demonstrate a new ‘clumsiness,’ with lesions and bruises over part of their body they injured while high. They may also pass off the abscess as the result of another injury – getting a scrape that’s been infected or other minor wound. If your child displays any suspicious bruises, cover-up, or outright holes in their skin then they may be using intravenous drugs.
Lighter Scars
Another fairly typical symptom of drug use concerns the tendency to burn or otherwise mutilate the flesh when high on painkilling drugs or drunk to the point of anesthesia on alcohol. Occasionally at parties there will be a group of kids marking themselves in order to create similar scars, so that they have a common marking and ‘war story’ to tell one another. Look for cigarette burns, callused fingers, or “smiley faces” (formed by heating up a lighter and pressing the metal to the flesh), cuts, and other scars – these are all clear warning signs that your kid is in with a group that likes to get high and/or drunk enough to think that permanent scarring is a cool way to remember the party.
Cigarette Burns
Cigarette burns are often a sign that your child may be abusing drugs and alcohol. Cigarette burns can either be intentional or unintentional. Intentional burns result from kids thinking it is funny that they are not able to feel pain as much under the influence of drugs and alcohol and use it as a form of entertainment to burn each other. Unintentional cigarette burns can result from someone who is high or drunk falling asleep or “nodding out” with a cigarette in their mouth or hand and it will fall and burn them.
Cuts on Arms/Legs (Mutilation)
Self mutilation, or ‘cutting,’ can be a sign that your kid feels alone, ostracized, and incapable of dealing with the pain through any other means than inflicting injury on themselves. Look for signs of scarring, usually along the wrists or arms, to determine whether or not he or she is using this as a means of coping with life’s difficulties. Oftentimes kids with a tendency to self-mutilate are also at a much higher risk to develop chemical dependencies. If your child seems to have become very ‘accident prone’ and developed a pattern of harming him or herself then they are unquestionably at a higher risk of abusing substances.
Hygiene
Stop Shaving Legs (Girls)
When someone is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is very common for them to lose motivation and give up maintaining their hygiene. This can result from certain drugs such as marijuana, opiates, benzodiazapenes and alcohol, since these drugs all have similar effects by making the user lethargic. Also, often someone who is highly addicted to drugs have one goal, and that one motivation is to get more drugs, thus losing the motivation to practice self care. Girls may stop shaving their legs, men may stop shaving their face, girls may not take off their makeup, and both men and women may shower less and wear dirty clothes.
Doesn’t Shower
Lack of motivation to shower or maintain their physical appearance can be a red flag. When your child goes from a well groomed young man or woman to grunge rock poster child there may be some substance use at play. Alcohol reliance often fosters a lack of concern about hygiene, as well as benzodiazapene use. If you kid appears to have lost concerns about their normal daily appearance, shaving and showering may go by the wayside as they escalate their usage. Other normal acts, like making the bed and organizing their living area, if attended to before, can be potential warning signs of involvement with depressants.
Wears Same Make-up
Another aspect of your kids hygiene that can be lost due to drugs and alcohol is that they may stop washing their face before bed. Specifically for girls, they may stop washing their face and just touch up their makeup, since they already have make up on from the day before. If you notice your child is wearing more make up than usual, or if their overall face does not look clean, it may be a sign that they are using drugs or alcohol.
Dress
Wears Dirty Clothes
“Amotivational syndrome,” is a term for chronic marijuana smoker’s inability to rise to the daily facts of life. While not scientifically proven it is based on an observation of the heavy pot smoker’s reluctance to perform daily tasks, work effectively, or apply themselves to social endeavors. If your child seems to be listless and removed from the daily efforts of life, including little things like washing and changing their clothes daily – this can be a symptom of habitual marijuana use. Such a symptom can be the first warning sign of dependence on, and addiction to, marijuana in the life of your child. Overall the wardrobe and cleanliness of your kid can be a telltale means of determining their drug use.
Hairstyle
Dreadlocks
The style of your kid may have changed recently, and this can be a normal part of adolescence. If, however, they’ve suddenly developed an interest in all things Jamaican then you may have a ‘budding’ marijuana addict on your hands. Typical warning signs include a collection of red, gold, and green (the old colors of the Jamaican flag) memorabilia, and a tendency to wear their hear knotted into dreadlocks. Beeswax or other grease inducing substances are often added to the hair to affect the ‘dreadlock’ look, and if your kid is wearing the hair style of Bob Marley then chances are quite high that they are also regularly smoking marijuana.
Clothes
Bracelets/Armbands
Clothing styles can often be a major tip-off for parents who want to find out what substances their kid may be using. If the weather outside is sunny and seventy degrees, yet your child is wearing long sleeves every day chances are that they are trying to conceal markings made by either self-inflicted injury or IV drug use. Extreme sensitivity to heat or cold, or an apparent inability to tell the difference, can also be telltale signs of stimulant use. Users of cocaine and methamphetamine often go from hot to cold, and are constantly shedding or adding clothes to compensate for their wildly fluctuating internal thermometer. It’s important to know that bracelets and other extravagant wrist accessories can be covering up the cuts and gashes made by ‘cutters,’ teens who self-mutilate in order to make themselves feel better. In any of these cases the wardrobe of your kid can be an important factor to pay attention to.
Only Wears Long Sleeve
Most parents do not want to admit that their child is using intravenous drugs, and would prefer to turn their head than to face the truth. If your child is starting to look paler, thinner, and is not practicing good self care, then it may be time to take a closer look. Heroin addicts and other Intravenous drug users will often wear clothing that covers up areas of injection on their body, and the most common place to inject drugs is in the crease of one’s arm. Another means to hide their addiction is to use make up or other forms of cosmetic cover up to mask the track marks. Track marks can range from veins looking thicker, a vein having a more distinct color, dry or peeling skin around the area, scars and red unhealed skin, and even open wounds and bruises. It is essential to pay close attention to your child’s wardrobe, physical appearance and their behavior.
Accessories
Bandanas
Does your child seem to only wear certain colors of garments these days? Can your kid only leave the house with his favorite bandana or do-rag? If so he or she may be involved with a gang or affiliated criminal group. Gangs wear colors and head garb to identify themselves and their territory, and to intimidate others that might move in on their ground. Often gangs have ‘recruitment pools’ that are made up of young men (and some women) who are a street level affiliate of the larger organization. If your kid seems bent on proving himself and keep getting in trouble with the law over minor charges then he/she may be in the process of gang initiation. Drug and alcohol consumption can also be a part of much gang activity, and violent crime also plays a role in maintaining territory and settling disputes. Keep on the look-out for these behaviors, as well as noticing your kid’s clothing, this can be an important first hint into whether or not they’re choosing to pursue the gang ‘lifestyle.’
Sunglasses at Odd Times
Almost all drug and alcohol use have an effect on one’s eyes. Drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana can result in blood shot eyes, where as dilated pupils are a result of stimulants such as cocaine, meth, Adderal, and ecstasy. Drugs such as heroin, Oxycontin, Xanax and other opiate and benzodiazepine drugs will makes one’s pupils very small, almost pin point. Drug addicts will often wear sunglasses at times when it is not sunny or indoors to hide their eyes. Also, many addicts will use Visine or other red reducing eye drops to mask their blood shot eyes. Lastly, some addicts may even go as far as to take other drugs to regulate the size of their pupils, which can be very dangerous as they are mixing different drugs.
Sores
Tracks
If your kid is wearing long sleeves more often, or hiding the inside of their arms, it may be a sign they are using intravenous drugs. Injecting drugs in veins on their arms is the most common place for injections, however, other popular areas are hands, feet, and thighs. If you start to notice your kids’ veins looking more red, containing scars, or even open wounds, then there is a high possibility your child is using intravenous drugs.
Picking Sores
Heavy stimulant use, specifically meth addiction, causes a rise in body temperature and increased blood flow to the skin to counteract it. Also, the skin is the site where all the toxic wastes in meth escape, which creates a great discomfort for the drug user. This causes the user to “tweak out” and obsessively pick, scrape and dig at their skin usually with their finger nails. This action results in open, red sores mostly on the face and arms, but can be anywhere on the body. If your child’s skin contains open wounds, or sores it may be a red flag that they are using crystal meth or other stimulant drugs.
Abscesses
There are many risks that go along with intravenous drug use. The most common known risks are the possibility of contracting HIV or Hepatitis C from sharing needles or using dirty needles. Another possible consequence of intravenous drug use is the formation of an abscesses, which is an infection in the injection site. If your child is acting in any way to hide their arms, or other areas of their body from you, this may be a sign of them hiding track marks or an abscesses. If your child does have an abscesses, then they need to seek medical attention.
Injuries
Limping
The formation of an abscesses is caused by an infection in the injection site. If your child is acting in any way to hide their arms, or other areas of their body from you, this may be a sign of them hiding track marks or an abscesses. If your child does have an abscesses, then they need to seek medical attention.
Swollen Limbs
The formation of an abscesses is caused by an infection in the injection site. If your child is acting in any way to hide their arms, or other areas of their body from you, this may be a sign of them hiding track marks or an abscesses. If your child does have an abscesses, then they need to seek medical attention.
Bruises
Bruises on your child’s body can indicate that they are using intravenous drugs. Bruising results from missing a vein, and injecting the drug into one’s skin. Intravenous drug use has a high rate of overdoses and is a very serious issue. If you notice any signs that your child may be using intravenous drugs, act accordingly and help your child.
Black Eyes
Heavy drinking and drug use often leads to physical altercations. If your kid is showing up, bruised and bloody from a night out with his friends, the chances are that they are imbibing alcohol or other mind altering substances. Resolving conflicts with violence means their decision making skills are probably compromised, and should definitely be questioned. Ask your kid about the circumstances surrounding the fight, and if there was alcohol or other drugs involved, especially if altercations seem to be becoming a pattern of their nightly or weekend activities.
Fighting Injuries
Heavy drinking and drug use often leads to physical altercations. If your kid is showing up, bruised and bloody from a night out with his friends, the chances are that they are imbibing alcohol or other mind altering substances. Resolving conflicts with violence means their decision making skills are probably compromised, and should definitely be questioned. Ask your kid about the circumstances surrounding the fight, and if there was alcohol or other drugs involved, especially if altercations seem to be becoming a pattern of their nightly or weekend activities.
Eye Characteristics
Dilated
Extreme pupil dilation in conditions that don’t seem appropriate, (like dilated pupils in the light) can be an indication of drug use, most often stimulants but also marijuana and other hallucinogens. Along with the dilation of the pupil there can be other symptoms, such as tearing up (which can appear as crying in the most extreme instances). The eyes or the lids themselves can also look red and irritated, and your kid may have a preoccupation with their eyes that includes constant looking in the mirror or other reflective surfaces.
Pinned Pupils
Pupil constriction is most often the direct result of opiate intoxication, as the vascular constriction promoted by narcotics applies itself to the eyes as well. Another side effect will be a ‘glassy eyed’ look and the accumulation of bags under the eyes, as if your kid hasn’t been sleeping often or well. In addition to pupil dilation there’s also a look of pale skin common to opiate abusers, as if they haven’t been out in the sun (often due to a lack of vitamin D). If your child exhibits one or all of these symptoms then it may be time to have a talk about opiate addiction and treatment.
Bloodshot
Marijuana users make their red eyes a point of pride, a fact that you as a parent should pay close attention to. If your kid is showing up to life’s events with runny, tearing, or rouge colored eyes then he or she has most likely been smoking weed or drinking alcohol. Consumption of either of these intoxicants can lead to the above effects, and often lends the eyes a glassy appearance – as if there’s a sheen of water covering the eye at all times. In order to cover up these tell-tale signs many kids use Visine or similar drops, and keep them around at all times. The presence of red, glassy eyes or unnaturally whitened orbs – either one can be an indication that your child may be getting drunk or high.
Does Not Make Eye Contact
Lack of eye contact in a discussion can be a physical cue that your kid’s lying to you, or trying to avoid a confrontation. If your kid’s doing drugs, chances are they’d rather be off indulging in their substance of choice than talking to you. As a result they will avoid eye contact, even in an argument, in the hopes that they can finish the discussion sooner. If your kid displays these signs and is always in a hurry to leave your presence there may be a greater underlying problem.
Swollen/Bags Under Eyes
Drugs and alcohol abuse will have immense implications on ones sleeping pattens. Stimulant drugs such as cocaine, meth, adderal, and ecstasy will affect your child by keeping them up and not sleeping much. Drugs such as xanax, oxycotin, heroin, weed and alcohol will make the user much more tired, and even make them fall asleep or “nod out” at odd times of the day, however the sleep caused by these drugs are not natural forms of sleeping and does not give the user sufficient amounts of sleep. If you find your child awake and not sleeping often, or being excessively tired then it may be a result of drug use. The most obvious sign your child may be abusing drugs is if they are unable to keep their eyes open and start to fall asleep at periods of the day where they should normally be awake.
Twitching
Extreme stimulant intoxication, especially on the drug Ecstasy, can lead to an inability to focus as the eyes gyrate wildly around in the skull. If your kid looks ‘through you,’ or with eyeballs that are literally shaking in their sockets then you can be completely sure that they are highly wired on a stimulant of some type of another. Wait for them to come down and then, as soon as possible, have a discussion with them about their drug use and the physical effects you’ve just witnessed.
Nose Characteristics
Redness Color
If your child seems to have a perpetual sniffle he or she may have what’s known informally as the yuppie flu – a set of symptoms that seems like a common cold but actually reflects the irritation of the nasal passages from repeated exposure to cocaine. The accumulation of tissues, missed days of work and school, and the inability to breathe normally through the nose all reflect the use of cocaine. If your kid’s nose seems constantly red or runny, and they are using the bathroom with alarming frequency then they may be abusing coke or meth, both of these drugs have similar symptoms and are seen in the user’s face when they are on a binge.
Blood in nose
Excessive use of cocaine and methamphetamine also tear the nasal lining and produce bloody noses, sometimes even the day after use. If your kid is expelling blood through the nose on a regular basis, or spitting up blood-tinged phlegm, then he/she is most likely snorting cocaine or meth. Even days after the usage of cocaine the nose can be susceptible to nose-bleeds, and if your kid gets a bloody nose with little to no provocation then it could be a symptom of their use.
Runny
Snorting cocaine and meth have severe affects on one’s health. For instance, if your child is snorting meth or cocaine their nose cartilage can deteriorate, and cause bloody noses. Snorting Crystal Meth may also cause tooth decay, since the nasal passages are directly connected to the mouth region. Also, Crystal Meth has also been shown to decrease the production of saliva, which causes more tooth decay. Thus, if your child is experiencing bloody noses, or their teeth do not look healthy, then there is a high possibility that they may be snorting cocaine or Crystal Meth.
Teeth Characteristics
Missing Teeth
Methamphetamine and crack cocaine usage don’t promote the best oral hygiene, and meth especially drys the mouth of saliva that it needs to stay well lubricated. If your kid’s teeth look unusually browned, shaky, or are even missing then these are severe warning signs. If your child displays increasingly bad breath and a lack of desire to brush his or her teeth, these too can be portents of methamphetamine smoking. Extreme or prolonged exposure to methamphetamine (and crack to a lesser extent) results in dissolution of the jaw, and restructuring of the entire face, so that addicts often look gaunt and broken about the face and mouth.
Decaying teeth
If your child’s teeth are starting to look yellow, and it looks as if your child’s overall hygiene is lacking, then it may be a red flag that your child is using drugs, specifically crack or meth. When one smokes meth or crack, the chemicals from the drugs rot their teeth. Also, when one is high on drugs, usually they do not hold cleaning their teeth to be a high priority. Teeth loss and decay is common in Crack and Meth users.
Hair Characteristics
Thinning
Does your kid’s hairline seem to be receding prematurely, even while they race around as though they have all the energy in the world? Immaturely receding hairlines or thinning hair can be a side-effect of methamphetamine usage, as well as a sign of abuse for other major stimulants and a warning sign to pay attention to as you try to assess their involvement with drugs. It can also mean your child is unusually stressed out, either from the effects of stimulants.
Patchy
Hair loss is a great consequence that Meth users face. This can happen for various reasons. First, due to the lack of nutrients in an addict’s body combined with the dangerous chemicals they ingest, hair breakage frequently occurs as well. Often when people are on meth, they start to develop obsessive compulsive behaviors. One of the behaviors tends to be pulling their hair out. If you recognize that your child is missing patches of their hair or that their overall hair is thinner, then it may be a sign that they are addicted to Meth.
Sleep Patterns
Insomnia
Withdrawal from depressants can cause insomnia among users. Depressants that induce sleep include: Benzodiazepines (Xanax, Valium), Marijuana, Alcohol, and Opiods (Heroin, Oxycodone, Hrydrocondone, and other pain medication). When a user stops taking depressant narcotics, they usually suffer insomnia. These types of drugs can become imperative for allowing the user to sleep. Dependence on narcotics for sleep indicates a drug addiction problem. With continued use, tolerance level for these narcotics will go up, causing the user to require more drugs to get to sleep. Combining or ingesting too many depressant type narcotics can cause drug over dose and can be fatal.
Hypersomnia
Hypersomnia is a symptom of stimulant narcotic use specifically meth or cocaine. Cocaine users may stay up for up to 2 or 3 days in a row while meth users may not sleep for a week or more on end. Meth is a powerful stimulant drug that causes extreme amounts of energy and hyperactivity among users. Sleep deprivation can also cause hallucinations and psychosis. Meth and cocaine users usually crash for hours after withdrawing. Excessive sleeping usually occurs during a stimulant withdrawal and irregular sleep patterns may indicate a drug problem.
Odd Sleep Schedule
Cocaine users may stay up for up to 2 or 3 days in a row while meth users may not sleep for a week or more on end. Meth is a powerful stimulant drug that causes extreme amounts of energy and hyperactivity among users. Sleep deprivation can also cause hallucinations and psychosis. Meth and cocaine users usually crash for hours after withdrawing. Excessive sleeping usually occurs during a stimulant withdrawal and irregular sleep patterns may indicate a drug problem.
Relationships
Family
Guilt brought on by drugs can cause users to retire to their room for extended periods of time. Sometimes kids want to hide out from their peers and family because they are feeling shame brought on by their use. Other reasons kids want to isolate could be a result of depression brought on by drug or alcohol use and withdrawal. Some kids just want to be left alone to get high and will disengage from the people in their lives and personal relationships loose priority. Kids feel they have to lie to their parents because they are afraid of getting in trouble so kids may display these signs of isolation.
Friends
Sudden Change In
Some kids frequently bounce between groups of friends because they are avoiding personal relationships or because they are having problems cultivating drama free relationships. Sometimes kids will change friends as a means to get away with their drug and alcohol consumption. Kids may no want to get found out or judged by their friends based on the amount of drugs or alcohol they are taking. Sometimes forming friendships is not a priority to the kid because they are more interested in getting drunk or high. Kids abusing drugs and alcohol like to surround themselves with who ever can be a supplier, regardless of who they are.
Disrupted Contact With Childhood Friends
Many times when kids start getting high the circle of friends changes. Many times there old friends that they have known for years do not like the changes they see in your son/daughter since they began using drugs or alcohol. Sometimes kids will choose to distance themselves from their old friends as a means of trying to cover up their drug or alcohol use for fear that the truth will come out. Typically when kids completely start hanging out with a new group of friends, these new friends probably share common interests, such as drinking alcohol and partying.
Romantic
If you notice your child is beginning to start to neglect their longtime boyfriend or girlfriend or begins to treat them badly this is a sign that they may have found something that they feel is more important to them. Many times this could be drugs or alcohol. When kids begin to experiment with mind altering substances the things they used to hold dear to their heart no longer seem to matter, they are completely preoccupied with their new exploration with drugs or alcohol.
Attitude
Cranky
If your child seems to be extra moody or angry as of late this could be a warning sign of addiction. When someone has been using drugs or alcohol and begins to go through the withdrawal process they can become moody, irate, and just plain mean. You might ask them a simple question of how their day was and they might come back with a sarcastic degrading remark. Irritability and sudden mood swings are symptoms of drug withdrawal. Also many kids will act aloof or angry as a tactic to push their parents away from them and leave them alone.
Agitated
If your child seems to be extra moody or angry as of late this could be a warning sign of addiction. When someone has been using drugs or alcohol and begins to go through the withdrawal process they can become moody, irate, and just plain mean. You might ask them a simple question of how their day was and they might come back with a sarcastic degrading remark. Irritability and sudden mood swings are symptoms of drug withdrawal. Also many kids will act aloof or angry as a tactic to push their parents away from them and leave them alone.
Depressed
What goes up must eventually come down. Many times when people are withdrawing from drugs or alcohol they fall into a deep depression. The drugs or alcohol at one point may have made them happy and high but that can only last for so long. Many kids will suffer from bouts of depression when they begin to come down from the high they felt from drugs or alcohol. They might lock themselves in their room and not want to talk to anyone for days. When detoxing many kids will sleep for unusually long periods or time. These are are typically warning signs of withdrawing from drugs or alcohol
Paranoid
Kids who abuse certain types of stimulants and hallucinogens may experience paranoia. Many times meth addicts will have auditory hallucinations; they will hear people having conversations about them in the other room when there is no one there. Other addicts will have visual hallucinations, meth addicts especially might see tiny bugs crawling all over their skin when in reality there is nothing there. Other addicts will become paranoid that there are cops or others waiting outside there home waiting to get them. They may spend hours on end looking out the blinds convinced there is someone outside. Hallucinogens will cause users to have visual hallucination, these can be both pleasurable or scary.
Afraid
Many times addicts who abuse alochol or drugs will have underlying fear that wont seem to go away. They fear that they will lose everything or their lives will fall apart if someone finds out about their addiction. This can result in extreme cases of paranoia with them feeling that everyone is thinking about them and are out to destroy them.
Emotional
Emotional instability is common in drug and alcohol abusers. Stimulant users will display overly energetic behaviors and exhibit extreme euphoria followed by an intense crash upon withdrawal. These crashes cause the user to sleep for hours or days or become depressed and withdrawn. Stimulant use can cause users to experience surges of rage or anger and hostility. Most stimulant users are very on edge and do not need much provocation to send them spinning out of control emotionally. This erratic behavior is common in cocaine and meth users. While under the influence of depressants, the user may be overly withdrawn in social situations or appear tired or unusually tranquil. People using depressants such as opioids or benzodiazepines will experience extreme irritability upon with withdrawal. Physical pain is also a symptom of withdrawal from these kinds of drugs and will also contribute to the emotional state of the user. Alcohol abusers also experience emotional instability as drug users do. While drunk, a person can experience a variety of emotional states from extreme happiness or closeness with others to hostility and aggressiveness to depression. Some alcoholics and drug users will completely withdraw from society and display signs of intense depression or anxiety.
Appetite
Increased
Most pot smokers will typically get a serious case of “the munchies” shortly after ingesting marijuana. Marijuana can dramatically increase a users appetite. Pot smokers begin to crave food, most of the time it’s just food. Late night trips to Taco Bell or eating an entire box of Cheeze-Its is common for marijuana users. If you notice your son or daughter has been eating rather unhealthy and has put on a great deal of weight there’s a chance they are abusing marijuana.
Decreased
People who use stimulant drugs such as cocaine or meth will many times lose all sense of appetite. When on a drug binge meth users can go days without eating. Prolonged use of meth or cocaine can cause serious weight loss. Active meth or cocaine users find it nearly impossible to gain or keep weight on many times resulting in malnourishment. Meth and cocaine users can look gaunt in the face and if used for a long time may become dangerously and abnormally underweight. Many times those who suffer from eating disorders will take stimulants in order to suppress their appetite and lose weight. Addicts many times will have an altered sense of how they appear to others. Others may see someone who is underweight and unhealthy but in their eyes they look good and better than ever.
Academics
Decline in grades
Many times when students begin abusing drugs or alcohol their priorities begin to shift. What was once important to them no longer is important and all they care about is getting high. As a result of this many kids who are enrolled in school begin to let there school work slip by the wayside resulting in poor test scores, incomplete assignments and bad grades. In extreme cases some students may be suspended from school due to poor performance or if they are caught using drugs or alcohol on school premises. Early intervention in important in helping kids get back on the right track.
Quitting extra-curricular
Many times when students begin abusing drugs or alcohol their priorities begin to shift. What was once important to them no longer is important and all they care about is getting high. As a result many kids who were involved with sports or other extra curricular activities have no desire to participate in these things anymore. They time is no preoccupied with finding out how to obtain drugs or alcohol and then using them.
Fighting
Heavy drinking and drug use often leads to physical altercations. Resolving conflicts with violence means their decision making skills are probably compromised, and should definitely be questioned. Ask your kid about the circumstances surrounding the fight, and if there was alcohol or other drugs involved, especially if altercations seem to be becoming a pattern.
Taste in Music
When teenagers begin to abuse drugs they many times might start hanging out with a new group of friends. If these friends have been long time drug users they might listen to a specific type of music. Teens who use drugs many times are looking to find a place to fit in which is why they sought out drugs in the first place. In order to feel a part of they may begin to adapt and getting involved with other activities that their new friends show an interest in, including their taste in music.
Energy
Lack of
The consumption of marijuana or alcohol causes many people to feel lethargic and unmotivated to complete even the simplest of tasks. Taking a trip to the grocery store might seem like such a chore that they decide to order their groceries online. Many alcoholics wont want to leave their house so they will order bottles of alcohol from a food delivery service. Living quarters of alcohol or marijuana abusers are many times messy and unclean due to lack of motivation. Pot smokers can even be too lazy to bathe or shower on a regular basis.
Increased
Abusers of stimulant type drugs such as cocaine or speed with show symptoms of increased sometimes extreme energy. They may stay up all night or even up to days on end. Speed addicts many times have so much energy that they will deep clean their entire home or tweak out on a complex project or work on a school related assignments throughout all hours of the night. Speech patterns of those on speed may change as well. Those on stimulants might be extra talkative, friendly and engaging.
Disrupted Thought Process
Marijuana users may suffer from a speech impediment. They may find it difficult putting words and sentences clearly. Their thoughts many times are jumbled and when they attempt to speak many times it can come out as incomplete thoughts. Also sudden laughter out of nowhere is also a sign of marijuana use.
Motor Skills
Slow
Using depressant drugs or consuming alcohol tends to slow down a users motor skills. They may come off as drowsy, sleepy or tired. There speech can also be mumbled.
Increased
Abusers of stimulant type drugs such as cocaine or speed with show symptoms of increased sometimes extreme energy. They may stay up all night or even up to days on end. Speed addicts many times have so much energy that they will deep clean their entire home or tweak out on a complex project or work on a school related assignments throughout all hours of the night. Speech patterns of those on speed may change as well. Those on stimulants might be extra talkative, friendly and engaging.
Speech
Slurred
People who abuse depressant type drugs such as alcohol, benzodiazepines and marijuana may suffer from a speech impediment when uder the influence. They may find it difficult putting words and sentences clearly. Their thoughts many times are jumbled and when they attempt to speak many times it can come out as incomplete thoughts that do not make any sense.
Fast
If you notice that your son or daughter is extra talkative and speaking very fast there is a chance she is abusing stimulant drugs such as crystal meth, cocaine, or adderall.
Incoherent
People who abuse depressant type drugs such as alcohol, benzodiazepines and marijuana may suffer from a speech impediment when uder the influence. They may find it difficult putting words and sentences clearly. Their thoughts many times are jumbled and when they attempt to speak many times it can come out as incomplete thoughts that do not make any sense.
Rambling
If you notice that your son or daughter is extra talkative and speaking very fast there is a chance she is abusing stimulant drugs such as crystal meth, cocaine, or adderall. When abusing these drugs users can talk for hours on end, they can come across as overly friendly and engaging.
Emotions
Employment
Loss of Job
Many times addicts and alcoholics who are using heavily have a hard time holding down a job. Heavy drinkers might drink every night, pass out and forget to set their alarm causing them to be late. Excessive tardiness and being absent from work is a good way to get yourself fired. Many times drug users and alcoholics don’t want to stop using their substance of choice during the day and would rather call out from work. When they do decide to show up to work many times there work performance is not up to par due to their drug and alcohol abuse. Getting fired from a job is a strong sign that they have a drug or alcohol problem.
Can’t Hold Jobs
Many times addicts and alcoholics who are using heavily have a hard time holding down a job. Heavy drinkers might drink every night, pass out and forget to set their alarm causing them to be late. Excessive tardiness and being absent from work is a good way to get yourself fired. Many times drug users and alcoholics don’t want to stop using their substance of choice during the day and would rather call out from work. When they do decide to show up to work many times there work performance is not up to par due to their drug and alcohol abuse. Many times they might be able to find another job quickly but addicts and alcoholics tend to have a hard time keeping their jobs, due to lack of responsibility. Getting fired from a job is a strong sign that they have a drug or alcohol problem.
Hobbies
Sudden Loss In
It is common for those who have developed a dependency/addiction to lose interest in activities that they used to enjoy and partake in regularly. With an addiction, the obtaining and using of the addictive substance becomes the sole focus of one’s life. Due to this often other hobbies either become less interesting in comparison to the drugs or alcohol and simply become far less of a priority in the addict’s daily lifestyle. Lethargy is common especially with drugs such as marijuana, opiates and benzodiazepines amongst other depressants.
Sports
Drug abuse often leads to a decrease in physical activities. Depressant drugs such as marijuana and opiates produce effects resulting in lethargy, due to this any physical activity often becomes viewed as far more strenuous than before. Stimulant drugs like cocaine and methamphetamine, though they give the user more energy, will make the user crash faster and harder the more energy they expend. Sports and exercise will make the user feel a worse come-down and so these activities are often avoided when teens and young adults abuse drugs.
Finances
Spends Money Quickly
Nothing to show for it
Addiction or abuse of drugs and alcohol can often become a very expensive habit to support. Someone with an addiction to drugs will often spend the majority, if not all of their money on obtaining more drugs or alcohol. From an outsider’s perspective it appears that the money is simply disappearing, if they are not aware of the drug use. As an addiction or dependency grows so will the expenditure on drugs or alcohol with factors of tolerance and psychological dependency coming into play.
Fragrance
Excessive Perfume/Body Spray
Alcohol and certain drugs, especially ones that are smoked, will often have distinctive smells and those abusing these drugs or alcohol will commonly try to hide usage by covering up the smell with deodorant or perfume. Someone smelling of perfume constantly and excessively will often be trying to hide the smell of something else be it drugs or alcohol.
Compulsive Behaviors
Picking
Drug users, especially with methamphetamine addicts, tend to pick at the face and skin sometimes without even realizing it. This can be due to a variety of different reasons: tactile hallucinogenic drugs can produce feelings of crawling under the skin and nervous itches are common. Meth users may also have visual hallucinations and may see small bugs crawling all over their skin that they feel the need to pick at, when in reality there is nothing there.
Scratching
Intense scratching
Scratching is common amongst drug users and especially those who abuse cocaine and stimulant type drugs such as crystal meth.This may be a result of nervousness or the user may experience visual hallucinations where they feel they have tiny bugs crawling all over their skin. Those on speed or cocaine will experience increased energy and scratching is often a subconscious outlet for this energy when the user is not physically active. Often the drug will desensitize the user to pain and so scratching will often lead to sores and/or bleeding without the user feeling pain they would normally feel if sober.
Itching
Soft Itch on Nose
Itching the nose or face is common amongst drug users and opiate users especially. This can be a result of nervousness or an attempt to keep themselves awake on a drug that produces fatigue and lethargic effects such as heroin.
Organizing
Stimulant drugs, such as speed and cocaine, produce effects of increased energy. Often users whom are at home not doing anything in particular will clean and organize to expend this energy instead of sitting down and buzzing with energy which can be uncomfortable for extended periods of time. Speed and cocaine, unlike depressants, give the user increased awareness and so they are more likely to notice mess around them than someone on heroin or marijuana.
Cleaning
Hyperactivity caused by meth can cause users to excessively clean or organize even when things appear to be clean. Meth use causes obsessive and repetitive behaviors. Some users like to take apart electronics such as cell phones or radios. People on meth may become incredibly focused on a particular object or task for hours without realizing how much time has passed. This also applies to users that compulsively pick at their skin or pluck out hairs. If you finds pieces of electronics for no particular reason or your child has scabs or picking marks, your child could be engaging in compulsive behavior as a result of meth use.
Hygiene
Hair/Makeup
Methamphetamine and cocaine give the users increased energy and users will commonly expend this energy by working on their appearance such as with make-up and doing their hair. These drugs, when used over long periods of time can make the user’s skin to break out and so they will sometimes counter-act with with make-up. Meth users may compulsively do their makeup only to take it off and do it again.
Substances
White Powder
Crystalized
Flakey
Glassy
Brown Powder
Tar-Like
Plants
Oils
Pills
Sudafedrine
Ecstasy
Oxycontin
Xanax
Paraphenalia
Pipes
Weed pipe
Meth pipe
Car Antenna
Needles
Snorting Utensils
Pen Housing
Straw
Rolled Money
Foil
Spoon
Cotton
Baking Soda
(room, car)
Brillo/Chore-Boy
Tourniquets
Belts
Rubber Hose
First Aid Supplies
Tools
Torches
Pokers
Razor Blade
Credit Card with Kinks or Bends
Gardening Supplies
Lighter
Blackened Bottom
Equipment
Funnels
High-powered lighting
Soil
Bio-balls
Beaker
Two-Liter Soda Bottles
Coffee Filters
Tubing
Iodine
Sudafedrine
Change in Utilities
A sign that your kid is growing marijuana.