To undergo treatment, it’s important to first recognize that you or someone you love is experiencing common signs of addiction. As such, it’s necessary to know common signs of addiction and dependence. Without knowing the signs, it’s impossible to know that something is wrong.
Signs of addiction can generally be classified into 3 categories: behavioral, physical, and psychological. Physical and psychological signs are often obvious and impossible to miss. Behavioral signs, on the other hand, are often misunderstood and result in a lot of pain.
It’s important to understand the behavioral signs of addiction so you or your loved one can receive the medical treatment you need.
What Are Behavioral Signs?
Before we dive into the behavioral signs of addiction, let’s just talk about the category of behavioral side effects or signs. Behavioral signs are side effects that impact one’s behavior specifically. These are the signs of addiction based on how a person is acting and changing in their outward life.
It might be helpful to look at the other categories of addiction signs. Physical signs of addiction are those that impact the physical body, while psychological signs are those that impact one’s mental health. Behavioral signs are closely related to and have a relationship with physical and psychological signs, but they are distinct.
These behavioral changes are often the most hurtful to the family and friends of the addict since they are the symptoms most felt by those around the addict. Physical and mental signs, in comparison, are often most felt by the addict but closely seen by those around them. Mistrust and loss of relationships often occur as a result of the behavioral side effects.
Behavioral Signs of Addiction
Addiction can change a person’s behavior in many ways. Someone who was once loving and kind may now only think about using and not care about anyone who gets in their way. In this case, the addiction has shown up in the form of a behavioral sign.
Some common behavioral warning signs of addiction include:
- Changes in personality
- Denial of substance use
- Going to great lengths to hide or cover substance use
- Disregard the harm the substance causes themselves or others
- Loss of control
- Obsessive thoughts and actions
- Rejecting responsibilities
- Getting in trouble with the law
- Unexplained financial troubles
If you experience these signs of addictive behavior, you likely suffer from addiction and need help as a result.
For example, if you feel like you want to quit but have no ability to do so, you are exhibiting a loss of control. Loss of control is one of the most obvious behavioral warning signs of addiction, and it often means you require medical intervention.
Other Signs of Addiction
As mentioned above, behavioral signs of addiction are not the only signs to be aware of. It’s also important to pay attention to physical and mental signs. Some common signs to look out for include:
- Sudden weight change
- Changes in sleeping patterns
- Lack of motivation
It’s important to look out for these common signs of addiction in addition to behavioral signs to determine the full extent of one’s addiction.
Get Help with 90210 Recovery
If you or a loved one is exhibiting behavioral signs of addiction, it’s time to get professional help. Behavioral signs of addiction often show that a person no longer has complete control over their substance use and needs medical help as a result.
90210 Recovery is a top-rated luxury rehab facility in California. Our facility is equipped to handle various levels of substance use disorder. Contact 90210 Recovery today to learn how to begin treatment and start a new life.