Addiction is like a slithering snake…
It can readily and easily sneak up on you when you least expect it, bite you with its venomous teeth and before you know it, taking you by its wrath.
While people understand that drugs and alcohol are addictive substances, even the addicts themselves are often blindsided by their addiction…
Especially for fighter pilots and other military personnel, the acts and events seen at war can lead to mental health issues that are not properly dealt with. Furthermore, once the service member returns home, they might resume their previous recreational drug or drinking habits…
However, this time they might become addictive. As the sadness and anxiety set in from being in the field, they can find themselves drinking or using a little extra and it just gradually begins to escalate.
The issue with this is that as it suddenly escalates, each time the limit is raised that becomes their new normal. They adjust to drinking or using that much and then the amount will just continue to increase, but they will either not realize it or not acknowledge it.
If you have noticed that you are relying more on drugs and alcohol, or maybe you have recently picked up these activities due to your emotional state and did not previously partake in them, here are 10 signs you might have an addiction:
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- You crave your drug of choice. You find yourself thinking about it when you don’t have it and deeply desiring access to it when it is not available.
- You have become physically dependent on it. You do not feel up to par if you don’t have it. You might find yourself irritable or even sick.
- You have built up a tolerance to it. You notice you are needing to use or consume more and more in order to feel the same way.
- You are experiencing withdrawal symptoms. This goes hand-in-hand with becoming physically dependent on it.
- You are drug-seeking. This could also be alcohol, too. You are constantly looking for ways to get the substance next.
- Your judgment is poor. You begin doing things like driving under the influence of your drug of choice.
- It is causing you financial trouble. Addicts will often put their drug of choice before anything else, sometimes even skip a house payment to feed their addiction.
- You have become isolated. You no longer want to go watch your kid’s extracurricular activities or be a part of family functions.
- You have developed unhealthy friendships. If you start noticing everyone around you has the same problem, this is probably the case.
- You neglect your responsibilities. When your addiction is causing you to miss work or other obligations, it is becoming a problem.