LONDON – Reports from the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) show that 70% of teens have taken alcohol by their senior year in high school, 50% have been exposed to an illegal drug, 40% have smoked a cigarette, and 20% have abused a prescription drug.
According to research by https://www.ukat.co.uk/ and represented by this infographic, signs of addiction in teens include:
- Euphoria
Most drugs create a state of euphoria in their victims. This makes the user elated at odd times.
- Mood Swings
Addiction tends to cause mood swings, making the teen exhibit abnormal signs of hyperactivity and switch moods easily.
- Change in Appearance
Some drugs cause unusual weight gain or emaciation in individuals who abuse them.
- Anxiety
Addiction causes anxiety. It could be as a result of anxiousness over the next “fix”, keeping the drug abuse secret and financial pressures.
- Criminal Behaviour
Addiction can also push users into crime or make them exhibit unusual aggressive behaviour. This usually happens in teens when they do not have enough funds to get more supplies.
- Depression
Many addicted drug users tend to fall into depression as a result of their situation.
- Sleeplessness
Some drugs cause sleeplessness in users, leading to dependencies on other drugs in order to aid sleeping.
- Unexplained Absences
Addicts tend to avoid interactions with co-workers or loved ones in order to keep their addictions a secret.
- Addiction Cravings
Nearly all substances cause unbearable cravings in addicts especially when the next “fix” is not readily available.
- A New Social Group
Addicts tend to associate with people with similar addictions, and only interact with friends who do not shun them.
