Man in dark, holding face showing signs of drug and alcohol dependence.If you are concerned that either you or a loved one are suffering from an addiction to harmful substances, there are a few things you should be considering. A drug and alcohol dependence becomes increasingly more difficult to hide as the time spent abusing substances increases. The purpose of the information provided below is to give you some frame of reference as to whether or not an addiction actually exists.

Signs of Drug and Alcohol Dependence

The signs of drug and alcohol dependence vary depending on the substance abused. However, there are some general characteristics or signs that exist in pretty much anyone who suffers from an addiction to harmful substances. For our purposes here, we will group these characteristics or signs into two categories, physical and behavioral.

The physical signs of addiction can be internal or external. These signs generally include weight loss, a constant craving for drugs and/or alcohol, a need to increase dosages to get the desired effect. You will experience withdrawal symptoms anytime a significant lapse in time between usage of the substance occurs. Sleeping issues, outward changes in physical appearance and moodiness usually occur.

The behavioral signs are usually just as serious, if not more so. These are the signs that family and friends notice and deal with on a regular basis. Typical addiction related behaviors include some of the following:

  • Loss of interest in social activities
  • Not handling personal or financial responsibilities
  • Obsessing over trying to find money to buy more drugs and/or alcohol
  • Creating issues at work due to tardiness, missed deadlines and/or missing days of work
  • Isolating oneself from family and friends
  • Committing crimes to get drugs or the necessary money to purchase drugs
  • Taking unnecessary risks

Getting Help for Drug and Alcohol Dependence

If you or a loved one show some of the signs of drug and alcohol dependence, something should be done before it’s too late. While there are a number of advertised options for dealing with an addiction, the only option that has stood the test of time is checking into an alcohol rehab center.

The first step in the recovery process requires that you or your loved one make an admission that drugs and/or alcohol are controlling your life. After that admission, it becomes easier to reach out for help. When you realize you need help to recover, find a professional and reputable rehab facility like Beaches Recovery in Jacksonville, Florida. Regardless of where you or your loved one might live, our Beaches Recovery facility is worthy of consideration due to our outstanding reputation.

Drug and Alcohol Dependence Treatment at Beaches Recovery

At our facility, we feel it’s important to treat each patient as a unique individual. That should be very evident by the large menu of treatment options we make available to our patients. Through the screening process, we learn enough about a person’s addiction to help us design the proper treatment plan.

Depending on the extent of the addiction, our counselors may recommend a stint in detox. We now offer detox services. We will monitor patients closely monitored to make sure they can work through withdrawal symptoms with a minimum of discomfort.

After detox, the real work begins. Therapy and counseling are provided through one of the following programs:

Are you or your loved one ready to admit signs of drug and alcohol dependence exist? You are ready for help. We encourage to get that help by calling our Beaches Recovery facility at 866.605.0532. Our counselors and clinicians stand at the ready to provide you or your loved one with addiction treatment. Get on the road to recovery from a horrible disease.