With over 20 million people suffering from addiction in the United States, addicts are not alone in their struggle. Whether you’re suffering from alcohol, drug, or another form of addiction, admission is the first step to recovery. Once you’ve accepted your current situation, you can take the necessary steps to get the treatment and care you need to reclaim your life. There are countless ways to seek recovery, like entering a Heroin Detox Center, attending AA meetings, or receiving therapy and utilizing other outpatient resources. But before you can accept help, you must first recognize you have a problem. Here are 5 signs that you might be an addict.
1. Mood Swings 
When you become addicted to a substance; your mood changes drastically. This is partially due to what the drug or alcohol does to your mental state, but it also has to do with the act of being addicted to something. When you rely on a drug or substance to make you happy, being without that substance can make you irritable, depressed, or even combative. If you were once a happy person but now find that you’re easily frustrated when you’re without your substance of choice, you may be an addict. It’s important to note that not all addictions are related to drugs or alcohol. People can suffer from gambling addictions, sex addictions, and even addictions to other behaviors and hobbies.
2. Isolation from Friends and Family
If you’re choosing your addiction over your family and friends, it may be a sign that you have a serious problem. Are you opting for spending time at home with your substance of choice rather than socializing? Do you feel that your addiction is more important to you than the people in your life? These are all signs that you may be an addict. If you are withdrawing from the important people in your life because you feel that they don’t understand you, you might need to make some changes. Other negative ways that an addiction might affect the relationships in your life include missing work or other important obligations that you once viewed as important.
3. Physical Dependence 
Addiction comes in many forms and can cause mental and physical dependencies. If you become ill, disoriented, or anxious without your substance of choice, you’re developing a physical dependency. Withdrawal from drugs and alcohol has some very real and severe symptoms including vomiting, sweating, seizures, hallucinations, depression, and fatigue. If you experience these symptoms when you can’t consume your substance of choice, it means you’ve become physically dependent on it.
4. Risky Behavior and Activity
Engaging in risky and dangerous behavior is another sign of addiction. If you’re doing things you wouldn’t normally do in order to get your hands on a certain drug or alcohol, it means that your judgment is skewed. It also means that the substance has become more important to you than the consequences of your actions. Risky behavior includes lying, stealing, or buying substances illegally. It’s also important to note that the side-effects of the drugs and substances themselves can cause you to make irrational decisions including driving while under the influence or placing yourself in harmful situations.
5. Tried Quitting Without Success 
Many addicts who don’t want to admit that they have a problem claim that they can stop their addiction whenever they want and without help. If you’ve tried to quit or wean yourself off of your addiction to no avail, it probably means you need outside forces. Admitting that you need help in stopping isn’t a failure or weakness. It’s the first step to reclaiming your life. When you realize that you can’t easily kick your habit, it means that your habit has morphed into an addiction and it’s time to get help.
Don’t be ashamed to admit you have an addiction. Whether it’s to medication, alcohol, illegal drugs or something seemingly more innocent, chances are you’re surrounded by people who love you and want to help you. It’s important to recognize the warning signs of addiction and to know that addiction comes in many forms. Anything that interferes with your daily life and negatively impacts your mood and relationships is cause for concern.
Article Submitted By Community Writer
