Signs of Teen Drug Abuse 14 EDITS

Signs of Teen Drug Abuse

SoberCollege.com Teen Drug Abuse

Are you concerned that your child is using drugs or alcohol? Whether you are concerned about changes in appearance or behavior Sober College can help you ﬁnd out more about a range of symptoms associated with drug use.

Table of Contents: Symptoms

Drug Types ...... 2 Red eyes ...... 3 Weight loss ...... 4 Cuts, sores or bruises...... 5 Deterioration of physical appearance ...... 6 Shakes and tremors ...... 7 Anger issues ...... 8 Financial difficulties ...... 9 Erratic behavior ...... 10 Deceit ...... 11 Nosebleeds ...... 12 Loss of motivation ...... 13 Seizures ...... 14 Sources ...... 15 Images ...... 16

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com1 Drug Types

Some of the most popular recreational drugs used by young people are alcohol, marijuana, stimulants and opiates. Use and abuse of these drugs can cause several physical and behavioral problems.

Alcohol Stimulants Opiates Using alcohol can result in red Using stimulants such as Using heroin or other eyes, weight loss, shakes and cocaine can result in weight opiates can result in tremors, financial problems, loss, shakes and tremors, weight loss, cuts, sores or erratic behavior, nosebleeds and erratic behavior, nosebleeds, bruises, financial seizures. financial difficulties, deceit, problems, deceit, cuts, sores or bruises, anger deterioration of physical Marijuana issues, deceit, loss of appearance, anger issues Using marijuana can result in red motivation and seizures. and a loss of motivation. eyes, loss of motivation, financial problems, deceit and deterioration of physical appearance.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com2 Red Eyes

Does your child suffer from What are the causes? Drugs bloodshot or red eyes? If only one eye is affected it is Marijuana Red eyes are the result of unlikely to be due to drug use. If Alcohol dilated blood vessels on the the eyes are only affected for a outside of the eye. short period of time it is likely to Other be due to drug or alcohol use: Conjunctivitis What is it? Marijuana contains THC, which Allergies Red eye is the swelling or causes signiﬁcant dilation of Computer vision syndrome dilation of blood vessels on the blood vessels on both eyes, and Eye injuries and ulcers outer surface of the eye. This lasts several hours. condition can flare up suddenly Alcohol decreases the flow of or develop slowly over time, and oxygen to red blood cells, can affect one or both eyes. causing blood vessels to cluster, sometimes resulting in What are the symptoms? red, bloodshot eyes. Painful, itchy, swollen or irritated eyes. Sufferers may Medical explanations include experience blurred vision or conjunctivitis, allergies, discharge. computer vision syndrome, eye injuries and ulcers.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com3 Weight Loss

Has your child experienced What are the causes? Alcohol can also rapidly alter sudden weight loss? Weight loss can occur for many eating habits and, like Weight loss is linked to several reasons, including loss of marijuana which increases types of drug abuse. appetite, increased exercise, appetite, a side effect can be stress, and drugs use. weight gain as well as loss. What is it? A sudden loss of weight is a Weight loss can be caused by Drugs possible side effects of many stimulants like cocaine, Amphetamines types of drug abuse. methamphetamines and Methamphetamines amphetamines, which Cocaine What are the symptoms? suppress the appetite and Alcohol Weight loss may be gradual or speed up metabolism. sudden, signiﬁcant or subtle. Other Drug abusers may try to hide It also can result from the Increased exercise their weight loss by wearing lifestyle involved in drug abuse: Reduced calorie intake loose clothing. people abusing stimulants can Stress go on binges during which they Overworked thyroid gland refrain from eating for days at a Depression time. It is, however, not unusual for teenagers to experience weight fluctuations.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com4 Cuts, sores or bruises

Does your child have physical What are the causes? deﬁciencies, so many symptoms such as track marks, Bruising, red marks, and sores mysterious bruises can be a bruises, sores or burns? can be left by a needle when a sign of general drug use. Drug abusers generally bruise drug like heroin is injected. Track more easily than non-users, so marks are the darkening of veins However, sometimes many mysterious bruises can be due to scarring and toxin unexplained bruises can be a a sign of drug use. build-up from injecting drugs like sign of a different medical heroin or meth (IV drug use). condition unrelated to drugs, What is it? such as a bleeding disorder, Drug abuse will leave physical One effect of meth is having the inflammation of blood signs on the body, varying from sensation of bugs under your vessels, infection or disease. track marks and bruises to sores skin, and it is the compulsive and burns. picking of the skin which can Drugs cause sores. Burns on the hands Heroin What are the symptoms? and around the mouth can be a Meth Track marks from heroin or other sign of crack and meth abuse: Crack intravenous drugs range from hot pipes and scorching smoke small red marks to sores and can cause burns on the lips. Other bruises, and they form clusters Disease down the inside of the arm. Drug abusers on the whole Infection People who abuse meth or crack bruise more easily than Inflammation of blood will also frequently have sores on non-users, due to the stress vessels their face and body, or burn placed on the body and the Bleeding disorder marks on the face and hands. subsequent nutritional

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com5 Deterioration of physical appearance

Has your child’s appearance Drugs users may wear drastically alter their diminished over time? sunglasses at odd times to appearance or to want to look Drug users often overlook conceal bloodshot eyes, or wear deliberately disheveled hygiene and a drug habit can long-sleeved garments in an lead to complacency about attempt to hide possible track Drugs appearance. marks. Marijuana Heroin What is it? What are the causes? Amphetamines A signiﬁcant deterioration of Fixation on a drug habit can Crack both the overall physical lead to complacency in other appearance and personal areas of life and appearance is Other grooming habits. often one of them: people who Depression previously took a lot of pride in Stress What are the symptoms? their exterior appearance and in Insomnia Drug users often overlook the clothes they wore can lose normal hygiene habits all interest. (showering, brushing teeth) and other habits, such as spraying However, it is also worth perfume or cologne, can be remembering that it is not picked up. uncommon for teenagers to

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com6 Shakes and tremors

Does your child shake? Tremors can be sometimes be Drugs Tremors can affect the hands, accompanied by head nodding, Cocaine arms, head or eyelids and often a shaky voice and a loss of Amphetamines occur when you move. balance. Alcohol Nicotine What is it? What are the causes? Involuntary shaking of the body, Stimulants such as cocaine and Other especially the hands. The amphetamines can lead to Hyperthyroidism shaking is usually fast, at about drug-induced tremors, which are Parkinson’s disease 4 to 12 movements per second. reactions of the muscles and Caffeine nervous system to speciﬁc What are the symptoms? substances. Tremors can affect the hands, arms, head or eyelids but rarely Alcohol and alcohol withdrawal affect the lower body, and often can also induce tremors, as can occur when you move or try to nicotine. hold your arms, hands, or head in a certain position. There are several medical causes of tremors too, such as hyperthyroidism, Parkinson’s disease and too much caffeine.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com7 Anger issues

Is your child showing signs What are the causes? Drugs of anger? Prolonged use of cocaine and Cocaine Prolonged drug use can affect crack affects neurochemistry, Crack neurochemistry, which can lead which can lead to angry Meth to angry outbursts. It can also outbursts, suspiciousness, be a sign of medical problems. paranoia and violence. Other Diabetes What is it? Meth affects levels of the Brain Injury Irrational outbursts of anger feel-good neurotransmitter Depression which are inconsistent with the dopamine and causes changes Borderline personality disorder person’s typical personality. to brain structure. This can lead Anger management issues They might be hostile, to mood disturbances, violent uncooperative or display behavior and psychotic paranoid tendencies. symptoms.

What are the symptoms? Increased anger can also be a Outbursts of anger that are out sign of medical problems like of proportion to any cause; this diabetes, brain injury, can range from aggressive and depression, borderline abusive responses to ordinary personality disorder, as well as discussions to damaging anger management issues. property and assaulting other people.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com8 Financial difficulties

Is your child experiencing essentials like food, running up Cognitive impairment can lead financial difficulties? debts and failing to pay bills on to difficulties with financial Increased expenditure with no time. management and holding explicable cause can be an down a job. indicator of l a drug problem. What are the causes? Financial problems can also be One of the most immediate Financial problems can be caused by other addictive causes is the high cost of many caused by other addictive behaviors or medical issues. drugs and alcohol, especially behaviors like gambling or when increased tolerance levels compulsive shopping, or What is it? mean that the abuser needs medical issues such as Being in financial crisis is a very more and more to get the same bipolar or depression. common symptom of drug use. effect. Drugs What are the symptoms? Drug abuse can lead to Heroin Increased expenditure with no widespread cognitive MDMA explicable cause and repeatedly impairment. Heroin affects the Marijuana needing to borrow money, ability to plan ahead, while Alcohol especially if it’s not being paid MDMA and marijuana damage back. Other symptoms include memory. Alcohol impairs Other decreased spending on things prospective memory. This Gambling that used to be important, means that substance abuser Compulsive Shopping selling valued personal can struggle to remember to do Bipolar Disorder possessions, going without specific actions, like paying bills Depression at the appropriate time.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com9 Erratic behavior

Does your child exhibit erratic Excessive animation and Other causes of erratic behavior? excitability is a frequent side behavior in teenagers While young people do effect of many drugs, as are includes increased sometimes act in a way that is periods of lethargy or willingness to take risks and out of character, particularly depression. These two states hormonal fluctuations. risky behavior is a common often cycle as the user moves symptom of drug abuse. between the high and Medical causes include withdrawal. bipolar and personality What is it? disorders, Graves’ disease Erratic behavior is acting in a What are the causes? and brain tumors. way that is out of character or Cocaine and crack cocaine doing things that most people reduce inhibitions, intensify Drugs would consider extreme. sexual desire and create Cocaine feelings of euphoria, which can Crack What are the symptoms? all cause people to take risks. Alcohol Risky behavior that exhibits poor judgment is a common Alcohol causes a reduction in Other symptom of drug abuse, and inhibitions, a loss of critical Bipolar includes dangerous driving, judgment and also impairs Personality disorder unsafe sex, criminal acts or perception. Grave’s disease doing things that are physically Brain tumors dangerous.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com10 Deceit

Has your child become What are the causes? It can also be a result of deceitful? Deceit comes about because trying to hide personal Drug abusers commonly start drug abusers want to hide their difﬁculties, or a symptom of being secretive and devious. problem from other people, are medical problems such as ashamed of what they are antisocial personality What is it? doing and need money to disorder, bipolar or Drug abusers frequently start support their habit. narcissistic personality becoming secretive and disorder. deceitful, lying and even With amphetamine and crack stealing from friends, family, cocaine, changes to brain Drugs teachers and employers. chemistry can result in Amphetamine paranoia, delusions and even Crack What are the symptoms? psychosis, which can lead to Drugs users may lie to family secretive, deceitful and Other and friends about what they are confused behavior. Antisocial personality doing, who they are spending disorder time with, how they are In adolescents, lying can be a Bipolar spending money and causes of behavioral stage as they test Narcissistic personality problems such as failing boundaries, or a sign of disorder classes. People close to drug attention seeking behavior. abusers may also notice that money or personal possession go missing, stolen to fund their addiction.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com11 Nosebleeds

Does your child suffer from ﬁrst felt in the back of your Nosebleeds are also far more recurrent nosebleeds? throat; this typically occurs if frequent in winter due to the Nosebleeds occur when blood you're lying down. drying effect of central vessels in the nose are broken. heating and cold weather; if Using drugs, especially drugs What are the causes? the membrane inside your that are snorted like cocaine, Using drugs, especially drugs nose dries out and cracks it is can cause nosebleeds. that are snorted like cocaine, likely to bleed. can cause nosebleeds. When What is it? somebody snorts a drug the Drugs Nosebleeds happen when the substance can directly irritate Cocaine tiny blood vessels in your nose the nasal membrane. MDMA are disturbed. There is a lot of Amphetamines blood supply to this area and Abuse of alcohol can also Alcohol the skin is thin, so if a cause nosebleeds, as alcohol nosebleed occurs the bleeding dilates the blood vessels and Other can be profuse. inhibits the activity of platelets Aspirin which prevent blood clotting. Cold weather What are the symptoms? During a nosebleed, blood will There are many different flow from one or both nostrils medical causes of nosebleeds and can last from seconds to and many conditions that can minutes. Sometimes liquid is cause unprompted nosebleeds (aspirin can do this).

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com12 Loss of motivation

Is your child lacking in What are the causes? Medical causes include motivation? Loss of motivation is a depression, anxiety, eating Drug abuse can cause loss of common symptom of disorders, insomnia, stress, interest in activities that were substance abuse, as the ability anemia, hypothyroidism and previously enjoyed. to focus on anything other than fibromyalgia. obtaining and using drugs What is it? diminishes. Drugs Drug abuse can cause loss of Heroin enthusiasm for tasks and MDMA causes confusion, Crack activities that were previously depression, anxiety and sleep Marijuana enjoyed or easily completed. problems which can lead to lack of motivation. Other What are the symptoms? Depression Stopping participation in Heroin, crack cocaine and Anxiety hobbies, such as sports or marijuana diminish mental Eating disorders extra-curricular activities. In functioning, which reduces the Insomnia school or college students may ability to plan and complete Stress demonstrate slipping grades, tasks as well as clouding the Anemia failure to complete abuser’s capacity to discern Hypothyroidism assignments, skipping classes their own impairment. Fibromyalgia and being chronically late. �

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com13 Seizures

Does your child suffer from frothing at the mouth; falling; Drugs seizures? clenching teeth; sudden, rapid Methamphetamines A seizure is uncontrolled eye movements; losing bladder Cocaine electrical brain activity which or bowel control. Alcohol can produce a physical convulsion. What are the causes? Other Amphetamines and stimulants Disease What is it? like methamphetamine and Epilepsy A seizure is the uncontrolled cocaine can induce seizures, Sleep deprivation electrical activity of the brain particularly when used in which can lead to a physical combination with other drugs convulsion. Heavy drinking has been linked What are the symptoms? to seizures in epileptics, and There are many different alcohol withdrawal can also be symptoms for seizures – responsible for seizures. some of the most common are: blacking out followed by There are other many medical confusion; uncontrollable causes of seizures such as muscle spasms; drooling or disease, epilepsy, sleep deprivation and injury.

SoberCollege.com SoberCollege.com14 Sources

• http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/mdma-ecstasy-or-molly • http://www.medicinenet.com/fatigue/article.htm • http://www.mentalhelp.net/poc/view_doc.php?type=doc&id=29101 • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC181074/ • http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine • http://www.addictscience.com/paranoia/ • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stimulant_psychosis#Substituted_amphetamines • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Long-term_effects_of_alcohol#Cognition_and_dementia • http://drugabuse.com/library/crack-abuse/ • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2396566/ • http://www.drugs.com/marijuana.html • http://www.allaboutvision.com/conditions/red-eyes.htm • http://www.helpguide.org/mental/drug_substance_abuse_addiction_signs_effects_treatment.htm • http://drugabuse.com/library/symptoms-and-signs-of-drug-abuse/ • http://www.casacweb.org/parentsthink.shtml • http://goaskalice.columbia.edu/unexplained-bruises • http://www.livestrong.com/article/232971-physical-signs-a-teenager-is-smoking-pot/ • http://www.webmd.com/brain/essential-tremor-basics • http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/methamphetamine • http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/teaching-packets/neurobiology-drug-addiction/section- iii-action-heroin-morphine/6-deﬁnition-tolerance • http://drugabuse.com/library/crack-abuse/ • http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2396566/ • http://familylives.org.uk/advice/teenagers/behaviour/what-to-do-if-your-teen-is-lying-to-you-or-stealing/ • http://healthyliving.msn.com/health-wellness/nosebleeds-separating-fact-from-ﬁction • http://www.medicinenet.com/nosebleed/article.htm#what_causes_nosebleeds • http://www.medicinenet.com/fatigue/article.htm • http://www.healthline.com/symptom/seizures

Image Links

• http://farm1.staticflickr.com/141/328658980_a14868303b_o.jpg • http://www.treatmentsolutions.com/teen-stress-and-drug-abuse/ • http://www.canstockphoto.com/game-in-a-mobile-phone-is-more-18028890.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/nosebleed-3531271.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/suspicious-mother-spying-a-daughter-18330030.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/the-young-man-against-a-wall-14092266.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/addicted-person-17314036.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/dissatisﬁed-and-upset-student-with-hand-18237649.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/frustrated-high-school-boy-9655823.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/woman-looking-into-a-broken-mirror-13359765.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/feet-on-bathroom-scale-6171356.html • http://www.canstockphoto.com/bloodshot-eye-8676044.html • http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=180630020 • http://www.shutterstock.com/pic.mhtml?id=118928809

[email protected] SoberCollege.com15