How To Tell If Your Loved One Is An Addict

Currently available out there and open to the public there are numerous lists and quizzes providing you with potential insightful advice on symptoms of being an alcoholic of drug addict. Not everyone is a drug addict or alcoholic for the same reason but there is a common thread in how you become and addict. The years of experience that Mark Houston Recovery has had in helping residents through the recovery process, the struggles and success many of our own staff have persevered to get to the point where they're able to help others, and the common psychology of the typical substance abuser have provided us with some useful, key things to look for if you truly believe your loved one is an addict.

The 5 Ifs of Addiction

Five points. That's all it takes really. Anything beyond thing is just another version of these five points. Read these carefully and see if your loved one meets the criteria.

1. If he spends most of his sober time thinking about the substance of choice, to the point that it distracts him from other things.
2. If he comes up with ways to structure events around things that may get in the way of using or drinking.
3. If he uses/drinks, it creates problems in his life (financial, physical, emotional or spiritual) -- but he continues to use or drink.
4. If his behavior when he is under the influence is totally out of character, negatively affects others and he have blank spots (called blackouts). The lack of control means the substance now controls him and this is no longer a choice.
5. If he needs to use/drink more to get the same feeling or "high," he is developing a tolerance to it. His body is growing used to the substance, which is never a good sign.

Always remember love the addict, hate the disease. Though you've seen this before it's something many people forget. That love and support is what's going to help them when they need it they most. That love and support is what Mark Houston Recovery beleives in.

Taking Action When You Know He's An Addict

So he's met the criteria. Now what? Just tell him to stop? Is it that simple? No it never is. The one thing you must always keep in mind when trying to help someone addicted to drugs or alchol is that you should never underestimate the level of addiction to the point where you think to yourself, "He could stop if he wanted to." That lack of understanding and that approach makes it harder on him and harder on you. At Mark Houston Recovery have been doing this long enoough to know that with managed recovery, care and support, you can help just about anyone recover from addiction. It may not work on the very first attempt but that's no reason to stop. It doesn't matter how many times you try, as long as you keep trying. We will help you in your efforts because that's what we beleive. That's what we do.