Substance Abuse

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We hear of drug use on the news and we read about it in the papers, but that is "always about someone else", not about our family, it could never happen to us. Even healthy families have experienced problems with substance abuse. The most important prevention is to be aware, to be observant, and to not deny one's perceptions. The second step in prevention is to understand why people use drugs. The third step is to be familiar with the signs of drug use.

Some signs and symptoms include:

	1) Red eyes and frequent use of Visine
	2) A distorted sense of time
	3) A drop in performance level
	4) Food cravings, specifically sweets, or loss of appetite
	5) Withdrawal from family and friends, mood swings
	6) Impaired memory
	7) Depression, fatigue
	8) Sleep disturbances
	9) Little expression
	10) Secretiveness
	11) Disappearance of money or items from home
	12) Frequent infection
	13) Drug paraphernalia: pot pipe, rolling paper, etc.
	14) Paint or whiteout around mouth and/or nose

At Abundant Life, we have trained substance abuse counselors to help you, or you family through these troubling times. Please contact us for your free 15 minute visit.

To learn more about drug and alcohol abuse, please visit the following links:

National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, Inc.

About.com

Practice Guideline For The Treatment Of Patients With Substance Use Disorders