I love taking quizzes to learn more about myself. Whether it’s learning about what Harry Potter character I am or how I should be making my avocado toast in the morning, almost every quiz is a fun pass of time. Some quizzes can be more for entertainment than informative than others, but we all can agree that it’s a super simple tool to learn more about ourselves in some way. If you happen to be someone who is going through a health issue like drug addiction or want to learn more about signs of drug addiction, taking one to know more about your situation is a great start. In a few minutes I’ll explain to you what the key signs of having a high functioning drug addiction and what you can to do today to judge if an intervention is right for you.
Signs of Drug Addiction
Some signs of drug addiction can be more difficult to detect than others, especially if a person is a high functioning addict. A high functioning addict is a personality that maintains their daily schedule, social relationships, and put up a well-established front to appear perfectly healthy to their peers. Some of the most famous figures that have passed like Mac Miller, Lil Peep, and Whitney Houston covered up their intense drug use well as this type of addict. Yet, they may start seeking out lots of alone time to suit their addiction and the signs of their declining health will show through the surface over time. Many others either think they do not have a problem, or they understand they have one but can handle the addiction without help. Some of the most common red flags of someone experiencing drug addiction include:
- Heavy denial. High functioning addicts can initially avoid many of the negative consequences related to addiction and maintain some degree of “normal” to their daily habits. Sometimes even their family and friends could turn a blind eye which further enables an addict to continue their damaging ways. The first step to getting help is to actually admit that a problem is present and being brutally honest with yourself.
- Uncharacteristic behavior. Abnormal behavior is a classic sign of a high functioning addict. If someone starts to come home from work later than before, show signs of severe mood swings, physical signs of poor sleep or diet, or tend to hide their financial activities something may be up. If you are doing this yourself, you are probably already well aware that you have an addiction.
- Loud outbursts of anger. Sometimes an addict will get very upset or defensive if someone does call them out on their behavior. If they’re clever enough, they may play off their outburst of emotion as a joke or a response to their friend not believing in them enough. As someone who lived with a roommate during college who had an intense marijuana addiction, look out for these expressions of annoyance when you ask them what they were up to for so long in their room.
- Low motivation and lower productivity. When someone is frequently taking drugs on and off of work or in the middle of their school classes, their internal drive to get their responsibilities down will be nonexistent. Their brain is being tampered with and the normal push that someone usually has to be productive won’t be as present. If you or someone you know is starting to get poorer grades, are showing up late or absent to work, or just seem really out of it too often, they could be struggling with a drug addiction.
- Lies and more lies. If you notice that you are lying much more than usual or if someone you know that who is generally truthful beginsmaking up false stories, it’s time to sound the alarm. We all tell little white lies from time to time in order to protect the people we care about. But if you are routinely creating an alibi or are even making up fictional friends you’re spending time with to cover up your secret drug use, you absolutely need to seek addiction treatment as soon as possible. Don’t wait until it’s too late to bear the consequences of drug addiction
Dealing With The Lies
While some people can openly admit that they do have a problem with drugs, most people will want to protect their ego, their reputation, and will routinely deny these problems in their life. Denying drug abuse or addiction is especially risky since it can quickly spiral out of control if it’s not controlled in the early stages.
For this reason, it’s important for anyone dealing with drug abuse or addiction to talk to someone they trust or seek a counselor about the problem. If they aren’t comfortable yet to break the news to someone who doesn’t know what their habits are, they can take an online intervention quiz that will spell out the steps for them to get help given their current symptoms and lifestyle. The best part about these quizzes is that they only take up to five minutes to take and are very informative to an addict without making them feeling exposed or threatened. Make it your job to share this quiz with anyone you suspect could be hiding a drug addiction right now. If you suspect that you have a drug addiction at this moment, add it to your to-do list today to learn what your options are. You may not want to admit that you have a problem or are putting your life at risk. However, putting your ego aside for a few minutes could make a huge impact on the future of your wellbeing. You never know what the possibilities are if you don’t seek them!
