Warning Signs of Addiction

Warning Signs of Addiction, The Details

You notice something is off. Maybe your son stops returning calls. Maybe your partner sleeps all day and disappears at night. Small changes add up, and your gut is usually right.

Watch for signs across three areas:

• Behavioral: pulling away from family, missing work or school, money going missing, new secretive friends, lying about small things.
• Physical: sudden weight changes, red eyes, shaky hands, poor hygiene, sleeping at odd hours, unexplained bruises.
• Emotional: quick mood swings, flat or numb responses, defensiveness, anxiety, or a fog that seems to follow them everywhere.

One sign alone may mean nothing. A cluster of them, over weeks, is worth paying attention to.

When you talk, pick a calm moment. Not during a fight. Not while they are using. Lead with what you have seen and how you feel, using "I" instead of "you."

Say the door is open. Then keep it open. People often need a few conversations before they are ready to accept help, and steady support matters more than one perfect talk.