Obviously, one of the warning signs of pain killer use/abuse is the frequent ingestion of pills, but if the use has become abusive or chronic the user will often start taking thm in private and becoming secretive about his/her use. Someone who has become addicted to or is abusing prescription drugs may suffer from headaches or gastric distress, caused by taking many of the substances in large amounts. Someone who is addicted to painkillers may also show symptoms typically associated with suicide, especially if they have been taken for that purpose. These symptoms include:
Talking about, or threatening to, hurt or kill oneself.
Seeking a means to harm or kill oneself
Speaking or writing about death, in a way that is out of character.
Displaying any of the following feelings:
hopeless
anger or vengeance
being trapped
anxiety, inability to sleep
lack of desire to do anything but sleep
purposelessness
reckless behavior
withdrawal from normal activities and associates
dramatic mood swings
*Note that many of these signs may be exhibited by people who are not suicidal in response to various causes that are not life-threatening.
The warning signs of opioid abuse include the following:
drowsiness
respiratory depression
needle tracks (if injected)
nightmares
anxiety
agitation
euphoria
dysphoria
depression
paranoia
hallucinations (in cases of high dosage)
Another sign of use can be the use of street names for opioids. Street names for opioids are specific to the specific drug. Our next post will contain a list of pain killer drugs and their street names.
