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Signs That Someone May Have A Drug Or Alcohol Problem

Mark Dombeck, Ph.D. Updated: Oct 24th 2005

Diagnosis is important in general because it helps doctors to know how to treat a problem. The diagnosis of a substance use problem (abuse or dependence) is important because it helps justify getting an addicted person into treatment.

Getting an addict to the point where a substance abuse or dependence diagnosis can be made is often a difficult task. People with drug and alcohol problems are often secretive about their use, or blind to the idea that a problem exists. It is helpful then to have a list of behaviors that one can look for that, when present, may suggest that someone has a substance use problem.

Behaviors to look for include:

A repeating failure to meet social, occupational or familial duties:

Repeated lateness or absence
Poor work performance
Neglect of children, etc.

Bizarre or lame excuses for social, occupational or family failures
Borrowing (or stealing) money without good reasons.
Uncharacteristic mood or personality changes

Physical signs may include:

Puncture marks, or long thin lines along the arms or legs (IV drug use such as heroin)
Skin Infections
Nose and throat problems (snorted drugs such as cocaine)
- Bloody nose
- Nasal and/or sinus infections
- Coughing
- Loss of the sense of smell
Drowsiness, or loss of coordination (depressant drugs such as alcohol)
'Pinned' (tiny, constricted) pupils in the eye (secondary to opioid abuse)
Eye movement disturbances:

Nystagmus: back and forth eye movements during an extreme lateral gaze (secondary to alcohol abuse)

Red or bloodshot eyes (secondary to smoking marijuana)
Drug-related smells on clothing (drugs that are smoked)
Drug-related paraphernalia (pipes, 'works', pill bottles, small plastic bags or vials, lighters, etc.)

Medical signs (only apparent upon formal testing) may include:

Positive findings of drug related metabolic (break-down) byproducts in the urine, blood or hair.
Hypertension (High Blood Pressure) (may point to alcoholism)
Elevated levels of the liver enzyme 'delta-glutamic transferase' (GGT) (may point to alcoholism)
Enlarged red blood cells (may point to alcoholism)

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Why??? - Pamela - Jan 1st 2010

I have been in a relationship for 3 years with an alcoholic and drug user. He works and can pay his bills when he wants to. He is afraid to be alone and he does not admit that he needs help. I have prayed and asked God to help him because I do not want to see anything happen to him. Everyone is putting the responsibility on me to keep him going.... I just cant do it. He stays gone 1-2-3 days at a time, makes excuses for time off work. The doctors must know he has a problem because they dont want to be bother. They just keep giving him medication and that s not the problem. How do I get out?

What is that smell? - Mama of Troubled Boy - Sep 6th 2009

My son has blown zeros on his breathalyzer but has at distinct times reeked of alcohol. What is he using that would smell like that and still blow a zero? Or if he is drinking, how does he blow a zero. I can't seem to find anything that has that smell when ingested besides booze.

Strung out and a liar - star Jones - Apr 27th 2009

early 20's adult daughter does not want admit she is a drug addict.....Don't want to lose the baby. She cares about nothing. I am acting like the mother. She loves losers inher life. How ca I get help for her?

Nar-Anon Family Groups - - Apr 5th 2009

What is Nar-Anon? www.nar-anon.org

Nar-Anon members are relatives and friends who are concerned about the addiction or drug problem of another. Nar-Anon’s program of recovery is adapted from Narcotics Anonymous and uses Nar-Anon's Twelve Steps, Twelve Traditions, and Twelve Concepts.

Nar-Anon's Purpose

Nar-Anon is a twelve-step program designed to help relatives and friends of addicts recover from the effects of living with an addicted relative or friend. Nar-Anon's program of recovery uses Nar-Anon's Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions. The only requirement to be a member and attend Nar-Anon meetings is that there is a problem of drugs or addiction in a relative or friend. Nar-Anon is not affiliated with any other organization or outside entity.

If you love someone who has a problem with addiction and that problem is keeping you from living a full and purposeful life, please join us to find out how to live a better way. While the addict is addicted to drugs, we become addicted to his/her chaos and often find ourselves obsessing over how best to fix them.

We have an online forum too: http://www.naranon.com/forum/

about my sister - worried sister - Mar 23rd 2009
my sister i know is having withdrawes from pain killers locerts and sleeping pills any way they are getting harder for her to get and is is having bad withdraws what are the signs i know she has had a bad attitude towards all the family and has went off on any and everone she comes in contact with lately but says its her nerves and having a nervers breakdrown. can any one tell me more about this problem.

Please Help Me To Wake Up My Brother - Lorrie - Jan 11th 2009
There are 4 of us. My youngest brother is a severe drug addict. My next brother in line does not believe it and believes all of our brother's lies and lame excuses. My brother claims that because he talks to our drug addicted brother daily and he states he is not on drugs, he's convinced he is not on drugs because otherwise, he would hear it in his voice!!! He keeps bailing my brother out (not jail, believe it or not he has never been arrested) but he basically supports our drug addicted brother by giving him money, letting him live in our dad's house, paying his utilities, cable, etc. My parents are deceased and I guess my brother took over for my parents as they refused to believe it also. I have sent him information and provided him locations and times to Nar-Anon meetings but he hasn't gone. Does anyone have any suggestions? Many thanks.

Some help please! - - Dec 2nd 2008

My boyfriend admits to having a drug and alcohol problem, but always renags. Asks for help, and then does the same. It gives me hope when he admits it, and asks for help, but then when I tell him I'm going to make an appointment with a Dr. or a psychologist, he tells me it's a waste of time. What can I do to help him stick to his guns and just go? It's strange, he's in denial with himself but openly admits that he's got a problem and asks for help. Does this just mean that he's not ready for a change? Or does he just not care?

i need help - - Nov 17th 2008

my boyfriend told me that he needed help so i got him in a rehab program and i know its going to help him but now i am worried that he wont need me or want me when he gets out

Helping a friend - - Aug 14th 2008

Have never known anyone addicted to drugs and alcohol before until a few months ago. I agree with below post, you can only do so much but in the end the person need to WANT to change. Yet, I feel rather helpless, useless and wonder whether I did all that I could. I am so burnt out emotionally and was subjected to constant lies. I had to quit the friendship and get out.

Drug users and alcoholics. It is such a great waste of a life. If only these people know how it affects friends and families, no only themselves. Yes I can only pray and imagine now but fear for the worse.

ALCOHOL,DRUGS,PILLS - CANT HELP - Jul 8th 2008
To all out there with friends,spouses etc. with problems concerning they loved ones. Iam a survivor of a Alcoholic Father, some of my Brothers and I where also on Alcohol and Drugs and Pills, GET OUT IF YOU CAN. These People make your Life miserable by saying horrible things to you. Believe me I been there done that. I still hang around People doing the same I grew up with. WAISTING TIME. These Addicts come around when they fall rock bottom or worst when they die. Most all are severly depressed and want you to feel the same way because theY Life is messed up.I quit drinking I quit doing Drugs and quit doing Pills because I WANTED too. I got tired of living a life that way. So again for all those out there,the more you talk to these People about the problem they having the more they drink, do drugs,pop pills. DROP THEM, move on Life too short to be abused, neglected etc.IF THEY WANT TO QUIT THEY WILL if NOT pray for them,keep your Distance and dont HELP. You stress yourself out. I thank GOD everyday for my survival.No iam not cured emotional and probly never will but now I can look back and say THANK YOU GOD FOR HELPING ME. There is help out there if you want if NOT then good luck. Iam a survivor and plan on staying that way Texas

weed - - Feb 17th 2008

I read a message my sister sent to someone online saying 'come to my friends house, we have lots of drinkk and weed :)' and i've spoken to her about it but she said it wasn't true it musn't have been her someone must have hacked into her account, but i don't know if i can believe her because i know quite a few of the people she hangs around with definately do it. Today, she has just told me that her friends did it and there was guys there that did it for them, but i don't know if i can believe she didn't do it because she wrote it and also she's not the kind of person who would want to be left out and i know she was drinking. But if she is doing it i don't know how to stop her!?

Please help me decide what to do

xxx

My Life - - Feb 5th 2008

I look back and see all of my childhood friends and now the ones i still know or run into are all into into drugs hard. My best friend who I have known since I was born is in rehab for Heroin right now and is facing 2 to 10 years in prison, oh and he's only 18 by the way. I have tried again and again to get out of the drug culture but it runs my life, my pocketbook, my friends, and my country's economy!!! WOW if there's a God then Bless the US lol

help! :S - worried daughter - Dec 13th 2007

my brother and I started noticing my mom acting kind of different..strange. and only at night. when a friend suggested I tell my dad about it, I did. He told me that he had also noticed my mom's strange behavior. Stumbling around at night, repeating the same thing over and over, being extremely worried about my brother and me. He said he would talk to her about it, and he did. This past week, he was gone on a business trip. I went into my basement to get a bottle of water out of the fridge, and found a large glass 3/4 empty with wine. Usually, my mom drinks her wine in the kitchen. That night I had a friend over, and she just had to sneak it, so she went into the basement. This struck something in me, and I became very angry and upset, and cried myself to sleep that night. the next day, I planned to talk to a guidance councelor at my school to see if she had any suggestions on what to do, but I chickened out.

I just need to know if I should talk to my mom about it myself, tell her I've noticed, and I'm worried...or if my dad should just keep at it and I should stay out of it? I need help on what to say to her, if anything. I'm just so unsure of it all right now. I also can't talk to anyone about this, so if anyone can help, I would appreciate it so much.

obsessed - - Nov 28th 2007
addiction is my name and my game, dont know what or how to stop. I think its going to kill me. Right at this very moment I am so dope sick it isnt funny. To get my next hit is what i am looking for, someone help me

not sure who i am - CHERIE STANCZYK - Aug 30th 2007
i am an adult survivor of child abuse. i have began drinking everyday and don't really understand why. i fear i am an alcoholic. it runs in my family i am a mess i know and dont understand how this has happen to me. where do i fit?

A person close to me. - - Aug 26th 2007

Some one very close to me for a few years now, I have just lose due to Pot and Cocaine and as well as a new smoking addiction. This person was my best friend for thoes years I knew them If fact I still know them. Dispite seeing them less and talking to them less and less each passing day, the though and knowing, and imagining them doing them is an unforgetable though, and somthing they can never take back,Even if they quit, They still did it, and they wanted it more than you. You never know how fast it can happen again, even knowing them for multipule years, if they can leave you for it once, why not twice?

Staring the person in the eye can be one of the hardest things you do after being through that.

It is even harder to let them go forever, And even harder when you still love them.

Drugs ruin lives.

I need help getting over a crystal smoker - - Jul 11th 2007
I wish I did not love him. He is the greatest person when he is not smoking crystal. I have not called or emailed him. He verbally and mentally abused me. I still love him though. I wish I could just forget him. He says I need mental health help. He provoked me by calling me a B****. I forgave him. He does not want to communicate with me anymore. I guess he is doing me a favor by not wanting to communicate with me. I just wish I could get over him immediatley. Please pray for me I will pray for all of you. Thank you.

for concerned mom/grandmom with 6 year old grandchild - a in TN - May 28th 2007
I used to work for social services in Florida, and the information you provided would have been enough for me to take a report and have an investigator open a case to see how they could help your grandchild and your daughter. In my time at the hotline there, I received many calls from concerned friends and relatives who themselves had been reported in the past for their drug/alcohol problems because it affected *their* children. These people were ultimately grateful that someone stepped in to help them and their kids. They were angry at the time that it happened, but intervention saves lives and keeps families together. Do not believe the myths that socials services want to take kids away from parents. They do this in the most extreme cases, when the child is truly at great physical risk. They want to help the family through hard times by keeping the family together if at all possible. Please call your local Children and Families office or your state hotline and voice your concerns. If you want to check to see if the concerns you have are reportable in your state, based on your laws, decline to give your name at first, but provide them with the story. You will then have the knowledge of whether the state can help in your situation. I wish you all the best.

How do you know if someone is an alcoholic - Karin - May 22nd 2007
My mother-in-law, who has been divorced from my husband's father, has been in 10 year relationship. She has been unhappy for an assortment of reasons but stayed with him. Recently, her boyfriend told my husband that she has a drinking problem. He gave some specifics like finding empty wine bottles in her gym bag in the trunk of her car, crawling up the stairs to get to bed, being passed out on the couch. Before we (the adult children) had a chance to confront her with our concerns, their relationship ended. We did approach her about it anyway and she completely denied it and was insulted that we could accuse her of being an alcoholic. We do not have concrete proof that she is an alcoholic, but we can't beleive her ex-boyfriend would lie about it. How do we find out if she has a problem and then how do we approach her?

Concerned mom grandmom - - May 8th 2007

I recently have been thru something to that effect with my own daughter thank god it was a false alarm about the drugs she was just hanging out with a person that was dangerous for her and her 2 year baby( not the Father ) I ended up calling Social services on her because the same as you I had no rights they temporaly gave the father custody because she was angry with me and told the investigator that she would prefer for the baby to stay with the father after the has always been with me so I know exactly how you feel. If you are sure that she is doing something that would harm the baby by all means take action. The baby is innocent ot all this and how would you feel if something was to happen that you could of prevented get in touch with real father if he is around of course and depending on relationship with him. And see what you can do about that.

Talk to her and tell you are willing to take desperate measures in order to keep the child safe that might give her something to think about . Let her how fast she can loose her child if she does not get her act together I did and it worked in a matter of days my daughter is now a full time student and lost the boyfriend in a heart beat to the point that he is now in Jail and she even changed her number and everything. We are now fioighting to regain Custody of the baby back to her mother.

Somethings are worth doing but that is something that only you and your husband can decide.GOOD LUCK TO YOU.

A concern grandmother RI

concerned mom and grandmom - concerned mom and grandmom - Mar 14th 2007

I strongly believe my daughter has a drug problem, I know she smokes pot and I have found vicadin pills in my car, which she denies, she has quit her job by just not showing up anymore and is volital! I know I can not help her but she has a 6yr old son that we have been helping with ( she lives with her boyfiend, not the daddy) I need help keeping my grandson stable, she is now threatning to keep him away from my husband & I. I understand it is next to impossible to get a court order to get a child from his mom, One minute she is normal the next minute she is outraged and accusing us of anything and everything, Does anyone else have a problem like this?

I my self was addicted - - Feb 2nd 2007

I was addicted to weed, pills, and coke. Those werer the main three that I was addicted to, and I've try pretty much everything expect a few like heroin. At the time I was addicted I never relized how much I was hurting everyone around me and the fact that I was making my self distance from everyone. Its like having a black cloud covering you from reality, furthermore, all you can think about is where and when are you gonna get the drug. If anyone is reading this all that I say get some sort of help or you will pay for it later, and that includes the break down of your body. My advice is to take your self away from the environment.

Mum is a pot smoker - Elizabeth - Jan 28th 2007
Hi, I have a mum who smokes pot, she just told me about it 2 months ago. I am shocked and heart broken, becuase nobody wants a mum who smokes pot. She's a great mum, but she acts like it's okay to smoke it. But, it is NEVER OK to smoke pot when you have a daughter to raise. It's really sickening when I think about wanting to be a lawyer, because how am I supposed to defend the law when my mum is breaking it? PLEASE, I beg of you, if you have a kid DON'T put them through this. PLEASE STOP ABUSING ALCOHOL AND DRUGS, AND BE A REAL PARENT. Thank you

ONLY GETS WORSE - FAYE - Oct 23rd 2006
THE BEST ADVISE I CAN GIVE IS DO NOT STAY IN THIS RELATIONSHIP. WALKING ON EGGSHELLS IS NEVER FUN AND WILL ONLY GET WORSE. I MYSELF AM IN A SIMILAR RELATIONSHIP GOING ON FIFTEEN YEARS OFF AND ON. WE HAVE TWO DAUGHTERS TOGETHER AND I HAVE A SON,THERE ARE CONSTANT MOOD SWINGS ALCOHOL AND WEED,PILLS ARE THE MAIN CONTRIBUTERS.I MYSELF AM TRYING TO GET AWAY FROM THE MENTAL AND PHYSICAL ABUSE SO PLEASE IF THIS PERSON IS NOT WILLING TO HELP HIM SELF THEN YOU HELP YOURSELF AND GET OUT OF THE RELATIONSHIP. IT SOUNDA LIKE A DOWNWARD SPIRAL. HOPE IM NOT BEING TO NEGATIVE I JUST KNOW WHERE IM AT IN LIFE AND WOULD LIKE TO HELP ANYONE AVOID IT. GODD LUCK ,FAYE

help i need somebody help not just anybody .. help i need someone help! - sind lou - Aug 10th 2006
i see all the results in someone close to me. addicted to pot most of his life he has almost two personalities close to a mental disability due to alcohol and weed, he has a beer belly and seems to change me since we first met, i just go with it but find this relationship becoming very boring