Throughout much of the United States, many people abuse opioids. In fact, statistics gathered in 2015 from the International Narcotics Control Board found that 99.7% of all hydrocodone consumption happened in the United States. Considering that, you might be wondering if someone you love is potentially facing a drug addiction of their own. Considering that, here are seven of the most common signs of opioid abuse.
- Neglecting Loved Ones
It’s understandable that many people get busy from time to time. That being said, someone who continues to hide away from others could be in serious need of drug addiction treatment. Unfortunately, many people who turn to drugs to feel better often shut others out in the process. While this is often done unintentionally, it’s wise to consider talking to this person about the possibility of looking into drug treatment centers. - Frequent Stumbling
Another sign that someone is potentially abusing painkillers is an inability to remain balanced. The narcotic ingredients contained inside of painkillers can have a major effect on someone’s balance. If someone who has no reason to be stumbling has a hard time standing upright, it could be due to them being under the influence of drugs. - Slurred Speech
Statistics from 2016 found that 11.5 million people age 12 and older throughout the United States misused some form of prescription pain medication at least once. In many cases, someone abusing painkillers will have noticeably slurred speech. Speech patterns can become so slurred that is sounds as if the person is drunk. - Mood Swings
Sadly, many people who are addicted to painkillers find that this is all they can think about. If you regularly come into contact with someone suffering from addiction, you might notice that their moods can change wildly. Unfortunately, this happens because the user can be happy while the drug is in their system. If they run out of painkillers, it could seem like it’s the end of the world. This is a major sign that someone is living with a potential drug addiction. - Chronic Constipation
This sign might be easier to notice if you’re living with the person in question. A telltale sign of prescription drug abuse is if someone is unable to defecate regularly. It might be wise to consider if you begin noticing laxatives around your home. In many cases, people abusing painkillers must rely on laxatives in order to defecate more frequently. - Inability to Focus
For certain individuals, a single prescription painkiller can feel too strong. In other cases, someone with a stronger tolerance might require a slightly larger dosage. However, someone who is abusing prescription painkillers might require even more pills to feel a buzz. It’s important to consider that these pills contain large amounts of narcotics. Therefore, someone who has large amounts of these narcotics in their body will likely be unable to focus on even the simplest of tasks. - Itching Throughout the Body
You’ll also want to watch if someone continues to scratch their body. In many cases, those under the influence of narcotics will continually scratch themselves for brief periods of time. While often not life threatening, this is a sign that someone is having a possible mild allergic reaction to a narcotic.
In conclusion, there are several signs that someone might be currently addicted to prescription painkillers. In fact, statistics gathered from 2016 found that nearly 66.4% of overdose deaths occurring during that year involved some kind of opioids. Therefore, it’s imperative to ensure that professional drug treatment is considered for someone currently battling addiction. For many, drug treatment has been the only thing that could help these people finally kick the habit for good.