Struggling with any type of addiction is by far one of the most challenging things that you or a loved one can go through. When that addition is to drugs or alcohol, life can be turned upside down and at times it may seem like there is no way out. If you are seeking help for yourself or for someone close to you, please consider Design for Recovery – Sober Living and Mentoring Program. There are 5 different programs that Design for Recovery offers: Medication Management, Money Management, One-on-One Mentoring, Family Support and Family Services. Design for Recovery follows a 12 Step program and is designed t help men rebuild their lives when they are in critical need to free themselves from the quagmire of their addiction! Design for Recovery is based out of Los Angeles, California and has two locations. The first one is at 11960 Modjeska Place, Los Angeles, CA 90066 and their second location is at 6467 West 3rd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90045. They are a highly reputable organization that will be your partner in your path to recovery. If you would like to learn more about Design for Recovery, please call them at 424-327-4614. Now that you have learned a little bit about Design for Recovery, please feel free to read our article below about Signs of Drug and Alcohol Addiction.

There are many physical and behavioral signs of alcohol and drug abuse. If you have a loved one that you think may be experiencing addiction, it’s important to look out for some of these signs so that you can seek help. Often times, our judgement can be clouded because we just don’t want to believe that there may be an issue or the return of a previous struggle that has resurfaced. However difficult this may be, it’s absolutely imperative that help and treatment are sought when your loved one is going through this difficult time of their lives.

A common sign of an issue with drugs or alcohol is a decline in academic performance (for school aged or college students). This is usually accompanied with other changes but drug free is definitely something to look for. Getting a bad grade is one thing, but if your child used to be very concerned/disappointed when this happened and all of a sudden it seems that they don’t care, that can be something to be concerned with. Another sign could be constant struggling with money and meeting financial obligations. Sometimes it just doesn’t make any sense why they seem so desperate to obtain more cash when this was not a previous issue.

Have you noticed a change in the crowd that your loved one is hanging around? Many times, those that are struggling with substance abuse will alienate their friends and start either hanging out with a completely different crowd or seclude themselves more than they used to. This is very concerning and should be recognized as a potential sign of addiction. You may also notice extreme changes in behavior, anything from depression to violent outbursts that are atypical to their normal behavior. For adults, behavioral changes can be noticed not only at home, but at their place of work as well. You may not know this is going on, so this one may be a bit more difficult to pick up on.

You may also notice just an overall change in attitude, especially if your loved one has traditionally been a “happy” person. They may seem to not really care about anything anymore and just brush things off that they didn’t used to. Physical signs of addiction may be shaking, change in appetite, weight loss/gain, memory lapse (such that occurs after drinking), changes in sleep pattern, dilated pupils, lack of concern for hygiene and so much more.

It is very difficult sometimes to put all of this together and recognize that your loved one may have a problem. No one wants to think that their son or daughter (or husband/wife) is an alcoholic or a drug addict. However, no one wants to see their love ones seriously injured or killed due to this catastrophic behavior. If you feel that there may be an issue, finding help is very simple. Design for Recovery will help your loved one (or you for that matter), rebuild their lives and find hope in what was once probably a very difficult situation. Please reach out to them today and help find a path to recovery. You will be very glad you took that first step to a new life.