When you picture someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol in your head, you probably imagine a person who doesn’t do anything except feed their addiction all day long. But there are also a lot of people out there who don’t fit the stereotypical description of an addict.
A functioning addict is someone who is able to maintain what would appear to be a somewhat normal life while also feeding an addiction at the same time. People who have a functioning addiction are essentially able to hide their addiction from the world while being an addict behind closed doors.
If you think you know someone who is a functioning addict or if you yourself have wondered, “Am I an addict?”, you should learn about the warning signs of this type of addiction. Here are five signs that might show a person is a functioning addict.
1. Use Drugs or Alcohol on an Almost Daily Basis
When someone is truly addicted to drugs or alcohol, they’ll use them pretty much every day. Most people who have an addiction aren’t able to go for more than 24 hours without getting drugs or alcohol into their systems.
If you’ve noticed that your body and mind seem to need drugs or alcohol every day, this could be a sign that you’re a functioning addict. You should reevaluate your relationships with drugs or alcohol.
2. Make Excuses for Excessive Drug or Alcohol Use
A lot of people find easy excuses for having a drug problem or having a drinking problem. They blame their excessive drug or alcohol use on work or another issue in their lives.
If work or something else that’s going on in your life is driving you to use drugs or drink alcohol more than usual, it could indicate a problem. And you may turn into a functioning addict before long if you haven’t already.
3. Hang Around With People Who Abuse Drugs or Alcohol
Those who use drugs or alcohol almost every day typically enjoy doing it in the company of others who live their same lifestyle. So if you or someone you know spends almost all their time hanging out with addicts, then there’s a good chance that you or the person that you know also has an addiction.
4. Suffer From Otherwise Unexplainable Illnesses
When people spend every day putting drugs or alcohol into their bodies, it’s only a matter of time before their bodies start to react negatively. They’ll almost constantly be feeling under the weather as a result of their actions.
If a person wakes up every morning worse for wear, it’s a strong indication that they’re a functioning addict. They’re putting their health at risk to continue feeding their addiction.
5. Lose Interest in Other Hobbies
People who devote a large chunk of their time to doing drugs or drinking alcohol don’t usually have time for much else. They’ll give up hobbies that they’ve enjoyed for years to free up more time for their addiction.
If you see that someone doesn’t appear interested in their hobbies, it’s often a clear-cut sign that they have an addiction. They could very well be a functioning addict.
Are You a Functioning Addict?
If you’ve seen any of the warning signs listed here in yourself, you might be wondering, “Do I have an addiction?” The answer is likely “yes!”, but you should explore the topic more to see if you’re really a functioning addict or not.
You should seek professional help to address the issue at hand. It can shed some more light on your battle with addiction and help you overcome it in the end.
Read the rest of the articles on our blog for more health and wellness tips.
