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You are here : Healthopedia.com > Medical Encyclopedia > Diseases and Conditions > Drug Abuse and Addiction: Symptoms & Signs
      Category : Health Centers > Addiction and Substance Abuse

Drug Abuse and Addiction

Alternate Names : Substance Abuse

Drug Abuse and Addiction | Symptoms & Signs | Diagnosis & Tests | Prevention & Expectations | Treatment & Monitoring | Attribution


What are the signs and symptoms of the condition?

Several of the following symptoms or signs occur when a person is addicted to a drug. The person may:

  • be unable to cut down on drug use when he or she wants to
  • continue to use the drug despite the problems it causes
  • develop tolerance for the drug, so that increased amounts are needed to get the same effect
  • find that the drug causes problems in life, such as getting in trouble with the law
  • have cravings or grow irritable when the drug cannot be used
  • skip some important activities because of the drug
  • spend a large amount of time getting, using, or getting over the drug
  • use the drug more often or more heavily than intended
  • Physical symptoms vary depending on the drug being abused and the extent of the drug use. The health risks of tobacco, for example, are different than the health risks of drugs such as alcohol or cocaine.


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    Drug Abuse and Addiction: Overview, Causes, & Risk Factors

     

    Drug Abuse and Addiction: Diagnosis & Tests

    Author: Terry Mason, MPH
    Reviewer: Melissa Sanders, PharmD
    Date Reviewed: 08/29/01









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    Page Last Updated: 6th April, 2009