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- 4 Signs It’s Time to Seek Help for Addiction
4 Signs It’s Time to Seek Help for Addiction
Beating addiction often requires expert assistance to get through the worst periods until you are comfortable managing alone.
Research suggests that an increased use of drug and alcohol addiction can dramatically increase the chances of developing one or several forms of cancer. Tobacco has been linked to cancer of the mouth, stomach, lungs and neck, while drugs such as marijuana can increase the likelihood of a testicular tumor.
Not only do addictions impact health, but they can also influence other aspects of an individual’s life. It is often the case that addicts are in complete denial of their problem, despite suffering from numerous behavioral and physical symptoms.
If you believe you have become reliant heavily on a substance, it’s a key sign you need to seek outside help to get your life back on track and reduce your chances of cancer. The first step is to admit the extent of your problem and look out for obvious warning signs that prove your former past-time has become a serious addiction.
Here is what you should be looking out for:
- Physical symptoms
The physical symptoms are perhaps the most obvious factors of addiction within the early stages. You may have lost interest in the way you look or managing your personal hygiene. Changes in appearance such as bloodshot eyes, dilated pupils and significant weight loss are also significant signs.
- Behavioral symptoms
Behavioral symptoms and family are more likely to spot differences in your behavior, but you should also be looking out for these symptoms yourself. You are likely to experience traits such as dishonesty towards loved-ones, poor performance at work, withdrawing yourself from any form of social activity or refusing to participate in usual hobbies that you would look usually forward to.
There may also have been occasions when you’ve aimed to give up addiction with little success and have ended up relapsing. Trying to give up alone is extremely common amongst addicts, as they are embarrassed about admitting their problem to others.
Beating addiction often requires expert assistance to get through the worst periods until you are comfortable managing alone. A sober living home such as epiphanysoberliving.com provides a sensitive and safe environment for recovering addicts. It can be difficult to push yourself to leave the comfort zone of your own home, but places such as these offer impeccable comfort and luxury for all residents, as well as having the chance to meet other individuals in the same boat.
- Criminal activity
Because addicts have usually been let go of their jobs due to lack of interest and poor punctuality, they can often be influenced to turn to crime as a way of paying for their addiction. Those who have always abided by the law have no other option than to carry out crimes, which would previously have played on their conscience.
- Relationship difficulties
Those who suffer from any form of addiction often find that even their closest relationships eventually start to crumble. Due to the mental health condition causing the individual to rely on the substance heavily, it can be difficult for them to sustain healthy friendships and relationships. You may find that you’re pushing away friends you have known for years or undergone a relationship break-up after choosing the addiction as your priority.
People who have been diagnosed with an illness can turn to substance abuse and addiction as a means to cope. If you, yourself, or a loved one of yours are exhibiting signs that they may need professional help, be sure to do so before it becomes more of a problem.