Signs and symptoms
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We have listed the major signs and symptoms for the following:
- General signs of drug use
- Amphetamines
- Benzodiazepines (sleeping tablets and tranquillisers)
- Cocaine
- Ecstasy
- Hash
- Heroin
- Effects on the family
1. General signs of drug use
There are some general signs to watch out for which may be linked to drug use. Bear in mind that all of the signs listed below could be caused by many reasons other than drug use such as puberty, social changes or medical conditions. Try not to jump to conclusions about drug use, as you may be wrong and isolate your teenager even more.
- Secrecy about activities, slyness, caginess
- Staying out unusually late
- A lot of new friends, perhaps an older crowd
- Lack of interest in old hobbies and activities
- Memory loss
- Mood swings – quite suddenly, may have fits of temper
- Short attention span
- Not taking care of their appearance
- Wearing sunglasses to hide the effects of drugs on the eyes
- Using deodorant or incense to hide the smell of drugs
- Always being broke and trying to borrow money
- Stealing from home or outside – money and stuff they can sell
- Using slang terms for drugs
- Social, personal and family relationships suffer
- Poor work or school performance, may be skipping days
- Losing appetite and weight
- Becoming withdrawn and not wanting to talk
2. Amphetamines
You may notice some of the following but not everyone who uses this drug shows all these symptoms:
- Hyperactivity
- Unusual confidence
- Jerky movements
- Can’t sleep
- Very talkative
- Grinding of teeth
- Very large pupils
- Sweating
- Thirsty
- No appetite
- Staring
Comedown:
May cause depression, fear, listlessness, apathy, muscle aches, cramps, mood swings.
3. Benzodiazepines (sleeping tablets and tranquillisers)
- Slurred speech
- Gentle, monotone voice
- Distracted
- Calm
- Agoraphobia – not wanting to leave the house
- Reclusive – avoiding other people
- Fear of people and going outside
- Aggressive (when used with alcohol)
- Passive (when used with opiates such as morphine and heroin)
Comedown (after long time use):
May become even more reclusive, agoraphobic and scared of people, may behave more strangely, twitching eyes, tense neck.
4. Cocaine
Similar to amphetamines (above) but also look out for:
- Runny, itchy nose – due to snorting
- Extremely rapid heartbeat
Comedown:
Unlike ecstasy and other amphetamines, in which the effects can last up to six hours, the rush of cocaine only lasts 2-3 minutes and the effects wear off in 12 - 13 minutes. The comedown effects are similar to amphetamines but are far more intense.
5. Ecstasy
You may notice some of the following but not everyone who uses this drug shows all these symptoms:
- Hyperactivity
- Unusual confidence
- Jerky movements
- Can’t sleep
- Very talkative
- Grinding teeth
- Very large pupils
- Sweating
- Thirsty
- No appetite
- Staring
- ‘Spittin' cotton’ – spit is like a cotton ball
- Small folded square of paper in an envelope shape
Comedown:
May cause depression, fear, listlessness, apathy, muscle aches, cramps, mood swings.
6. Hash
- Bloodshot eyes
- Giggling (especially in when they first start using)
- Distracted
- Introverted
- Short attention span
- Going off on tangents, hard to follow their train of thought
- Loss of short term memory – this will come back when they stop
- 'Bomb' burn on clothes – small burn marks caused by falling bits of ash
- Torn off bits of cardboard from cigarette packets or other cardboard objects to make a roach’ (a sort of filter)
- Bits of loose cigarette tobacco around their room or in pockets
- Butts of cigarettes with no stains on the filter
- Cigarette papers such as Rizla and cigarettes together
- Knives with burn marks from heating and inhaling hash smoke – 'hot knives'
Comedown:
May cause anxiety, restlessness.
7. Heroin:
After a fix or after smoking heroin the person will be ‘stoned’. Look out for:
- Very small pupils
- Light coloured eyes turn bright blue
- Eyes look glassy
- 'Goofing off' – looks like they are nodding off, hard to keep their eyes open
- Unable to finish sentences
- Slurred speech
- Shallow breathing
- Scratching
- Excessive smoking
- Loose facial muscles
- Blood stains on clothes from using needles
- Bloody tissues
- 'Track marks’ – marks left by needles, especially on hands, arms and legs although any vein can be used
- Burnt holes in furniture, bed linen or clothes caused by ‘goofing’ when smoking a cigarette
- Burnt tin foil from smoking heroin – ‘chasing the dragon’
- Spoons going missing from the house, spoons with a blackened underside from ‘cooking’ heroin
- Cut filters from cigarettes
- Ties or laces in pockets – used as tourniquets to prepare the vein for injecting
- Long sleeves in warm weather to hide track marks
Comedown: Runny nose and eyes, excessive yawning, very large pupils, agitated, can’t sleep, lack of energy, cranky, depressed, cold sweats or hot flushes, gooseflesh skin, overeating or under-eating, severe diarrhoea after constipation, nausea, dry retching which produces bile, constant knot in stomach, severe cramps in stomach and back of legs, ‘the shakes’ – spasms in arms and legs, violent spasms in the small of the back cause back to arch, panting, spontaneous orgasms in men and women
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