Early Symptoms of Drug Addiction Among Teenagers

Healthy adolescence involves rapid physical and emotional change as well as increased demands for independence and privacy. Increased independence and social freedom are necessary requirements for completion of tasks necessary for movement from childhood status to that of young adulthood. Healthy adolescent needs may create difficulty for parents, or others, in determining whether teens are becoming drug abusers or addicts. Distinct symptoms of substance abuse and dependence do exist, however, within the adolescent population.

General Symptoms

While some symptoms of drug use in teens apply to all drug types, most are dependent on the particular drug involved. General symptoms of teen drug use include new friends, new style and manner of dress, the discovery of drug paraphernalia in the teen's home (usually among his or her personal possessions) and the disappearance of money or other resalable items from the home of the suspected teen.

Friends and Dress

Sudden or gradual changes in clothing style or trends may indicate recent association or identification with drug-using individuals or stereotypes, or an attempt to conceal evidence of intravenous drug use through long-sleeved clothing, otherwise inappropriate for the season or occasion. If a teen has recently developed new friendships with individuals who also dress in the same manner, consider it a red flag if the clothing is typical of drug users or entertainers who promote drug-use stereotypes.

Stimulant Drugs

Individuals who snort stimulant drugs experience physical symptoms, including constant nasal drippings similar to those experienced during a common cold. Excessive coughing and chronic bronchitis are physical consequences of users who freebase, or smoke stimulant drugs.
Behavioral symptoms include periods of extreme high energy, requiring little or no sleep, followed by periods of low energy during which a teen sleeps for unusually long lengths of time. During high-energy stimulant influence, a teen may become irritable, experience hallucinations or have delusions of persecution or grandeur. Hypersexual activity is also common during times of stimulant use.
During periods of extreme low energy, often occurring between episodes of stimulant use, a teen may experience severe depression, sometimes leading to suicidal thoughts and tendencies. Stimulant drugs include cocaine, methamphetamine, cannabis (marijuana), other amphetamines and some prescription medications.

Depressant Drugs

Symptoms of opiate, or central nervous system depressant (downer), drug abuse include slurred speech, decreased and impaired motor coordination, unnatural calmness, slow movement, confusion, blackouts and memory loss. Common examples of central nervous system depressant drugs are alcohol, barbiturates, prescription pain medication and benzodiazepine tranquilizer groups, including drugs such as Valium.

Drug Paraphernalia

Drug paraphernalia is typically specific to the drug of abuse and should provide hints as to what substance, if any, a teen is abusing. Marijuana-use paraphernalia includes rolling paper, roach clips, water pipes or small plastic bags used to store the substance. Stimulant-use paraphernalia may include glass pipes or similar objects used for that purpose, drinking straws, mirrors, or spoons and syringes that indicate intravenous drug injection. Aluminum foil and aluminum cans used as pipes or to store drugs are also a common indication of stimulant use. Opiate-drug paraphernalia may include items also common to stimulant drug use. However, it is more likely to include evidence of prescription drug use, such as prescription bottles obtained from somebody other than the user.