April 5, 2010 : Benjamin Randolph
I did an interview about a year ago with Online Recovery Support. Please access their website and use their search box to access Episode 5 to listen to it and pass this on to your friends. Not only do I want to get the word out about my practice, I w ...
Drug addiction can be harder to detect than most people realize. Some signs that can stop an addiction in its infancy that most people don’t realize are: Pupils being dilated or constricted (“pinned”), if there is a sudden change in body weight, or if the person has flu-like symptoms (even if they attribute it to external factors like food poisoning). Even if the person is using prescription medication or “recreationally” some of the following signs might be indicators of dependence.
• Continued use despite contrary knowledge – Does your loved one continue to use despite knowing the substance is harmful to them (using pain pills after knowing they can kill you by sending you into respiratory failure).
• Time Consuming – Important social, occupational, or recreational activities are given up or reduced because of substance use. (Your loved one calls in sick often, or stays home and doesn’t involve themselves in activities they used to enjoy).
• Takes a lot of time – A great deal of time is spent in activities necessary to obtain the substances (visiting multiple doctors, faking injuries, or “going to the store” several times a day.
There are other criteria that will be discussed with other behaviors on this website. Overall, there are seven criteria of which, your loved one must meet criteria for three to be considered dependent. If you are unsure if your loved one is dependent, please call Compassionate Interventions at 503-901-1836 for a free consultation and see if intervention may be appropriate.
The worst thing you can do is give merit to any hopelessness you may feel. If you feel hopeless, please call us for a free consultation. It is our mission to help you guide your loved one to a better way of life.