Thanks in no small part to the ongoing Opioid Crisis in the United States, the truth is that more people than ever before will need to recognize the signs of a pill addiction.
Perhaps you even already suspect that someone you love has a problem — and you’re looking for advice about whether or not your intuition is correct.
In this post, we won’t just tell you about a few of the most common pill addict symptoms.
We’ll also let you know where you can go to learn more about getting help for yourself or someone else in your life.
1. They Look Different
One of the most common signs of a pain pill addiction?
A sudden change in a physical appearance.
You may notice that the person you suspect is an addict has lost a serious amount of weight recently. They may have dark circles under their eyes, seem to have lost their strength, or just look as though they haven’t been taking care of themselves.
This is because whatever they’re taking can change their overall appetite. They may binge eat after surviving on barely anything for days.
While rapid weight loss isn’t always one of the signs of being high on pills, in combination with other things it’s certainly a cause for concern.
2. They Isolate Themselves
Can’t remember the last time you saw the potential addict in question?
Have you noticed that they seem to go days — even weeks — without returning your calls or text messages. Are they canceling long-held plans at the last second — or not showing up at all?
And when they do talk to you, do they seem eager to get off the phone?
The person may be trying to hide the severity of their pill addiction. They also might prefer to spend their time using or just acquiring drugs instead of seeing family and friends.
3. They Have Sudden Mood Swings
One of the most difficult signs that pain pill use has turned into addictive behavior?
If the person begins to serious lash out or experiences mood swings that often border on violent.
One moment, the addict in question could be feeling on top of the world. They might be buying you rounds, posting pictures on social media showing how awesome their life is, or even going on shopping sprees.
The next minute, they’re curled up in a ball crying, throwing things, or just become totally lethargic.
This can take a serious mental toll on family and friends.
4. Their Sleep Schedule Is All over the Place
Do you get emails or texts from this person at all hours of the night?
Have they started showing up late to work — if they show up at all — because they’re sleeping the day away?
Some stimulant drugs can make users stay awake for several days, while others can cause them to sleep for unhealthily long periods.
In short, it seems like their sleep schedule has become erratic — and it’s clearly impacting their overall ability to function.
Sadly, this is a potential sign of pain pill addiction. If possible, try to monitor the person’s sleeping habits a bit more closely, so that you can get a better idea of what they might be using.
5. They Live in a State of Denial
If you suspect that someone close to you is displaying pill addict symptoms, maybe you’ve already tried to talk to them.
Chances are, it hasn’t exactly gone well.
When they’re not flat-out denying that there’s any kind of an issue, they accuse you of “ganging up on them” or “lying.”
Usually, this is a sign that your instincts are right — and that there is a very real problem at hand.
The addict in question likely feels ashamed of their behaviors. They also may have so much pride that they don’t want to admit they’ve lost control over their addiction.
Of course, they also may genuinely believe that they don’t have any kind of an issue.
6. They’ve Asked You for Money
Everyone goes through financial hardships from time to time.
But lately, you’ve noticed that your bank account has been, well, depleting at a faster rate than normal. You suspect that the addict may be stealing from you to support their habit.
Perhaps the person in question has even started asking you for money far more often than they usually do.
Especially if they’re not exactly ready to tell you what they’re planning on using the money on?
They may be financing street deals, or even paying for expensive doctor’s visits to get more medication (known as doctor shopping.)
This is a consequence of addictive behavior that can derail the course of your life — even if you desperately care about the addict.
It’s up to you to stop giving them the money when they ask for it.
You may also want to start thinking about getting them help.
Getting Help for a Pill Addiction
Whether you yourself are staring down a pill addiction, or if any of the signs here resonated with you in regards to a family member, we know that you’re going through a lot right now.
It can be so hard to know what to say to an addict — and even harder to predict how they might respond.
You desperately want them to get the help they very clearly need.
You just don’t know where to send them, or how to approach a difficult conversation.
We can help.
Keep reading the other articles on our blog about not only how to recognize the signs of addiction, but also how to find the right kind of rehab to end it for good.