Opiate misuse is a serious issue that not only affects those parents who use them but also their children. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the United States has been experiencing an opioid epidemic, with one in ten citizens between the ages of 25 and 35 currently experiencing signs of active drug or alcohol addiction. The whole population of Texas is represented by this number. The most common drug addictions in America are heroin and opioids, and since 2012, the number of fatal overdoses from these addictive substances has surged by almost 300 percent.
Drug addiction has a tremendous financial impact on society, families, and the nation as a whole. Drug abuse has decimated entire towns, ruining local economies, putting a strain on law enforcement, and leaving helpless children orphaned. Nevertheless, being aware of the early indicators of drug addiction can help people get their recovery plan laid out at an opiate addiction treatment center before the effects become severe.
The signs of drug addiction will be covered in greater detail in the following article, including a list of frequent symptoms.
Although every person's circumstances are unique, opioid use disorder generally refers to a condition that affects both physical and psychological functions. How can you tell if one or both of your parents is abusing drugs? Understanding the warning symptoms of addiction as well as how it can affect the addict's loved ones is crucial. This condition’s progression might be so gradual that it may not be identified as such until a crisis arises. Eight potential indicators of opiate or heroin abuse are listed below:
- taking this drug in greater doses or for a longer period of time than what is recommended or intended
- a persistent desire or futile attempts to reduce or regulate drug use
- Investing excessive time and energy in obtaining, using, and recuperating from use
- Strong desires or an overwhelming need to use
- failure to complete tasks at work or home as a result of drug misuse
- Continued use despite ongoing or frequent social or personal issues brought on by use Persistent use despite potentially dangerous circumstances, such as an overdose risk
- usage despite knowledge of possible physical or mental health issues
As discussed above, substance misuse can cause a variety of issues that can affect the entire family. For instance, a parent's developing dependence on drugs or alcohol may cause financial problems. As their addiction worsens, it may also impair how well they perform at work, which could result in their termination from their job or the failure of their business, damaging the finances of the entire family. The risk of risky, violent, and criminal behaviour, such as drunk or drugged driving, is further increased by substance misuse.
Parents who struggle with addiction-related issues frequently exhibit symptoms that, if you know what to look for, you might be able to identify. The absence from work, sudden financial difficulties, and legal issues associated with substance use are all behavioral indicators. Physical symptoms can include slurred speech, bloodshot eyes, unexpected changes in pupil size, rapid changes in weight or hunger, and even bodily odors. The paranoia, sudden loss of energy or dramatic rise in energy, unreasonable outbursts of wrath, and unexplained personality changes are some psychological indicators of substance abuse.
Moreover, especially in the case of teenagers who have parents who struggle with addiction or substance misuse may find themselves having to care for their parents, siblings, or even themselves. They could feel guilty and worry that their parent's addiction is in some way their fault.
Alternately, they may have been the victims of physical or psychological abuse, which can leave victims with lingering feelings of insecurity, fear, and wrath. However, despite having a parent who struggles with drug and alcohol abuse can be challenging, frightening, isolating, and even embarrassing, it's crucial to get assistance, both for yourself and your parents.
Abuse can eventually turn into a physical dependency, at which time withdrawing might cause severe episodes of withdrawal which must be viewed and critically examined under professional guidance and supervision at an opiate addiction treatment center. Abuse of drugs and alcohol is indeed a physiological issue that alters the brain, making rehabilitation more challenging. The addict will require more of the substance to get the same effect because of the changes in the brain that cause the body to get tolerant to it.
