Could your spouse be suffering from a drug addiction without your knowledge?
Responsible adults with families are just as likely to become victims of drug addiction as anyone else. A back injury at work or an extended arthritis flair-up that requires painkillers can start an otherwise stable individual down the dark road of addiction fairly fast.
How can you recognize addiction when you see it?
1. Your spouse’s physical appearance changes.
Different drugs do different things to the human body. Therefore, your spouse could exhibit a number of symptoms, including:
- An eating disorder — eating too much or too little
- Unusual drowsiness
- Balance issues
- Nausea and vomiting
- Insomnia
You should be particularly concerned if your spouse suddenly begins to neglect their appearance and hygiene.
2. Your spouse’s mental and emotional functioning change.
The cycle of addiction — extreme highs followed by deep lows and back again — makes it hard for an addict to have a level mood. Sometimes, addicts also can’t seem to think straight — especially when they’re in a period of withdrawal from the drug.
Be concerned if your spouse exhibits:
- Unusual anxiety
- Irritability
- A shifting appearance of euphoria
- Paranoia and panic attacks
In addition, your spouse may have difficulty concentrating or completing ordinary tasks. They may also become increasingly hostile, withdrawn and secretive. Problems may begin at work as your spouse has more difficulty functioning normally for any length of time.
3. You believe that your spouse is lying to you or stealing.
If your normally honest and loving spouse suddenly becomes intensely secretive and disappears a lot, you may be tempted to think that they’re having an affair. However, if valuables start to go missing at the same time — anything from tools to electronics and jewelry — you should be suspicious that they’re selling the items for cash to buy drugs.
An untreated addiction can quickly spiral out of control and lead to arrests and jail — or worse. Many addicts resort to selling drugs to support their habits. If you suspect that your spouse is addicted, have a conversation today about rehabilitation and addiction treatment — before your spouse is charged with a serious drug crime. After all — both your futures could be affected by your spouse’s addiction.
