Lately you may have noticed some differences in your friend that don’t seem like them. You’ve been friends for a long time and are pretty keen on what their mannerisms, likes, dislikes and hobbies are. But lately they haven’t had enthusiasm for anything and you’re beginning to worry. Maybe you used to hang out all the time but now they are hanging out with people that you know have a certain reputation. Whatever the case is, you need answers and maybe confirmation that your suspicions are correct. Is my friend addicted to opioids? Here are some of the classic signs of an opioid addict that you’ll be able to see on the surface.
1. Your Friend is Hanging Out With a Different Crowd
So you used to hang out all the time but now they’ve chosen to hang out with a different crowd. Maybe these are people that they didn’t have anything in common with but now you can’t seem to find them without one of their new friends. If you see a sudden change in behavior and their “new friends” seem shady, that could be a sign something more is going on.
2. Your Friend Wears Long Sleeves (Even When It’s Hot Outside)
If your friend is shooting up heroin they may wear long sleeves to cover up their track marks. Arms aren’t the only place a person can inject heroin but they are one of the first places people will try. If you see your friend wearing long sleeves and it’s really hot outside that could be a sign they are using. Especially if they refuse to take it off.
3. Your Friend is Always Sleepy or Sick
When friends with an opioid addict it’s almost impossible to find them feeling good. Even if they’ve just used, odds are they appear to be sleepy. Sometimes they can even drift off mid sentence or they may have a hard time remembering what you were just talking about.
It’s also a sign of use if they are constantly sick with flu-like symptoms. Throwing up and needing to use the bathroom more often is a sign that they may be suffering from side effects of detoxing.
4. Your Friend is Flaky
They may have kept plans with you for a while but lately they’re disappearing or flaking out. Not answering text messages cancelling plans on you is a sign they could be using. If you are a person where they can’t use drugs with they will be less willing to hang out with you. Or, if you’ve noticed they go to the bathroom for long periods of time and they come back seeming different, sleepy or loopy is a big indicator, they are probably using it in the bathroom.
How to Help an Addicted Friend
What you will want to do is to remain their friend. Not talking to them when they need it can have adverse effects. Having a talk with them where you tell them you notice something has been different and getting them to open up to you could be a first big step. Then help them find a residential or outpatient treatment program that will work for them.
Transformations Care is a rehab for drugs and alcohol located in Gardena, CA (aka the South Bay). We offer detox, residential, and outpatient programs for our clients in rehab for drugs and alcohol. Our dual-diagnosis program ensures that your friend will be getting clean and sober for good because we will get to the bottom of what’s really going on.
We don’t like the fluff other rehab programs offer and find that many people don’t believe in the “namaste” approach. Here we give people a second chance, helping them transform their life by getting to the root of the problem. Getting real with yourself and owning up to your past fuck-ups is a big step in living a sober lifestyle.
And we don’t just help our clients while here. We help them to navigate the world when they graduate from our program as well. Our outpatient programs are meant to keep them in line and give your friend a life line if they ever feel the urge to use again. They will be able to speak to professionals and talk out what’s going on, offering the extra support they may need at that moment. Oh, and if your friend works the 9-5 grind and needs help in the night hours, we also offer nighttime outpatient programs. Meant for either someone who works during the day or is just the natural night owl.
Reach out to us today to help your friend turn their life around. Call us at 424.339.0965.
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Getting Clean & Sober at Home
Today, more than 75% of hospitals and healthcare providers offer access to telehealth treatment, with 29 states having gone so far as to enact telehealth parity laws, which force insurance companies to reimburse patients for telehealth at the same rates as they would for in-person treatment.
If you’ve been thinking about getting clean and sober, or if you’ve been wanting to work on and strengthen the recovery you already have, it’s never been easier to do it through telehealth.
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