13 Nov Early Signs Of Addiction You Can Catch To Help A Loved One

Even the best human beings fail to reach their potential. There are so many distractions and vices that are all too easy for most individuals to give into. Drugs and alcohol are the most common substances that affect individual productivity and happiness.

When it comes to our loved ones, most of us want to do everything we can to help them avoid falling into the harmful clutches of addiction. Unfortunately, addiction can set in long before we realize what’s happening, especially if we’re unfamiliar with some of the most common warning signs. Let’s visit a few early signals of addiction you can catch to help a loved one.

Early Signs of Addiction

Neglecting Responsibilities

Regardless of age and living circumstances, we’re all tasked with managing responsibilities at varying levels. Whether it’s related to work, school, home life, or anything else, continued neglect of responsibilities that were previously handled with ease is one of the earliest warning signs of drug addiction.

Taking Uncharacteristic Risks

Every individual exhibits a different willingness to take calculated risks. Once we’re a number of years into adulthood, our risk-taking behavior often begins to decrease. Because we tend to spend so much time around them, our loved ones become very familiar with the types of risks we like to take. When someone whose behavior has typically been quite predictable begins to put him or herself in uncharacteristically risky situations, it may be time to step in.

Legal Issues

Increased propensity to take unnecessary risks often comes with unwanted repercussions. Driving under the influence of alcohol may be a much more common occurrence than it should be, but it can also be an early warning sign of alcohol addiction. If these early slaps on the wrist go largely unchecked, more serious offences are likely to follow, such as disorderly conduct and vandalism in an effort to support an unhealthy drug habit.

Relationship Troubles

Even the best matches can be spoiled by unhealthy addiction. Relationships that had previously succeeded because of a strong foundation of trust and understanding can quickly deteriorate into unhealthy pairings. More frequent fights with partners, especially in the presence of family and friends, may just be one symptom of a larger issue with addiction.

The Importance Of Catching Addiction Early

The further an individual venture down the proverbial “rabbit hole”, the more difficult it becomes to return. As drugs alter the brain’s chemistry, finding and taking the drug of choice can become just as important, if not more so, than basic survival instincts, such as eating, drinking, and sleeping. Catching drug addition early on is vital to minimizing harmful consequences for the ones we love.