Disease Trends and the Delivery of Health Care Services Presentation
Help a Drug Addict
There are many misconceptions about how to help a drug addict. Some people believe conquering a drug addiction is a matter of will power, and an addict who truly wants to end the dependency on drugs can easily turn away from the narcotic. However, drug addiction is much more complex than simply altering behavior. In order to help a drug addict, one must understand that addiction is a chronic brain disease and the battle to overcome it will most certainly be hard fought.
1: Know the signs and symptoms of drug dependency. A radical change in personality may indicate an individual is abusing drugs. Personality changes are a common sign of all types of drug addiction, including alcoholism, a dependency on prescription drugs and opiate abuse.
Needle marks may be evident on the arms of someone who is abusing opiates, although many addicts become skilled at hiding evidence of intravenous drug use by injecting the drugs in unseen areas, such as between the toes.
Opiate abusers may appear unusually thirsty or sweaty.
The pupils of opiate abusers often appear as pinpoints.
The frequent smell of alcohol is a red flag of alcoholism.
Alcoholics may exhibit irritable behavior, slurred speech, unusually bright or glassy eyes and difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas in a logical manner.
Alcoholics often try to hide the physical evidence of their addiction, including empty bottles and cans.
Individuals abusing prescription drugs may exhibit sings of intoxication, including clumsiness and slurred speech.
Someone with a dependency on prescription drugs may appear droopy eyed.
2: Consider staging an intervention so the addict’s loved ones can demonstrate how the drug abuse is affecting them. An intervention may also include the addict’s colleagues and church representatives. While an intervention will likely be overwhelming to the addict, the intent is not to put the addict on the defensive, and you should carefully select intervention
There are many misconceptions about how to help a drug addict. Some people believe conquering a drug addiction is a matter of will power, and an addict who truly wants to end the dependency on drugs can easily turn away from the narcotic. However, drug addiction is much more complex than simply altering behavior. In order to help a drug addict, one must understand that addiction is a chronic brain disease and the battle to overcome it will most certainly be hard fought.
1: Know the signs and symptoms of drug dependency. A radical change in personality may indicate an individual is abusing drugs. Personality changes are a common sign of all types of drug addiction, including alcoholism, a dependency on prescription drugs and opiate abuse.
Needle marks may be evident on the arms of someone who is abusing opiates, although many addicts become skilled at hiding evidence of intravenous drug use by injecting the drugs in unseen areas, such as between the toes.
Opiate abusers may appear unusually thirsty or sweaty.
The pupils of opiate abusers often appear as pinpoints.
The frequent smell of alcohol is a red flag of alcoholism.
Alcoholics may exhibit irritable behavior, slurred speech, unusually bright or glassy eyes and difficulty expressing thoughts and ideas in a logical manner.
Alcoholics often try to hide the physical evidence of their addiction, including empty bottles and cans.
Individuals abusing prescription drugs may exhibit sings of intoxication, including clumsiness and slurred speech.
Someone with a dependency on prescription drugs may appear droopy eyed.
2: Consider staging an intervention so the addict’s loved ones can demonstrate how the drug abuse is affecting them. An intervention may also include the addict’s colleagues and church representatives. While an intervention will likely be overwhelming to the addict, the intent is not to put the addict on the defensive, and you should carefully select intervention