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When it comes to recognising an addiction, it may be harder than you realise, especially when you’re looking for that addiction in someone you love. An addiction can be defined as a chronic disease that affects the brain and its reward, motivation and memory functions. This means that someone with an addiction will crave the substance or behaviour despite the negative impact it will inevitably have on their lives.

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What Are the Signs of Addiction?

The general signs of an addiction include:

  • A lack of control or ability to stay away from the substance or behaviour.
  • A lack of desire to socialise. This may include ignoring important relationships and commitments.
  • Ignoring the risks that are associated with their substance or behaviour of choice.
  • Noticeable physical effects associated with withdrawal such as shaking or even needing more than their usual dose for the desired effect.

The degree with which you see each sign will differ depending on the addiction, the degree to which they’re addicted and of course how long the addiction has been going on for. While a healthy person may be able to recognise the behaviour and stop it, someone with this disease simply will not without professional medical help and instead of admitting that the problem exists in the first place, they may instead make excuses for it.

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Recognise The Initial Signs

Recognising addiction in a loved one is hard, especially when you may not want to see it. Thankfully, there are identifying signs that you could begin to see from the early stages before an addiction becomes more in-depth, allowing you to stop it in its tracks with professional help. These can include:

  • Experimenting with new behaviours or substances.
  • A family history of addiction.
  • An obsessive nature towards a particular activity or substance.
  • Actively seeking out activities where that substance or activity may be.
  • Binging and an appearance of no control for periods of time, followed by a feeling of remorse.
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Changes In Personality

You may also notice mild or even quite drastic changes in someone’s personality and temperament. Once someone moves past the experimental stage and moves into the very early stages of an addiction, they may begin to show changes in their personality. While this may be infrequent at first, it can soon become a constant change. Signs of this are:

  • A lack of interest in usual hobbies and activities that were once very important.
  • Sudden risk taking tendencies.
  • Ignorance toward the negative impact their addiction is having.
  • Chronic fatigue or a drastic change in sleeping patterns.
  • Increased secrecy and a feeling that they are pulling away from you.

Changes in General Health:

  • Bloodshot eyes.
  • Changes in weight.
  • Unexpected injuries.
  • Bad skin, teeth, hair.
  • Poor hygiene overall.
  • Memory loss or forgetfulness.

Contact Us Today

If you believe someone you love may be suffering from addiction, it’s important to seek professional help. Here at Infinity Addiction Solutions, we provide rehabilitation at our treatment facilities throughout Essex and London and can provide the intervention or rehab services needed. For more information, call now on 0800 3345541.

Need Help With Addiction? Speak To Us Today