State five behaviours associated with drug addiction

Behaviours associated with drug addiction

Drug addiction is a condition in which a person becomes dependent on and unable to do without harmful drugs. A drug addict usually shows the following behaviours:

1. Restlessness and constant craving for the drug: The addict is always uneasy and anxious, and continually looks for the drug and cannot stay calm without it.
2. Aggression, violence and irritability: The addict is easily provoked, quarrelsome, quick-tempered and often behaves in a violent or hostile manner towards others.
3. Isolation and withdrawal from family and friends: The addict keeps away from normal company, prefers to be alone or with fellow addicts, and loses interest in family, friends and social activities.
4. Neglect of duties and responsibilities: The addict abandons school work, the job and other obligations, becomes truant, lazy and unreliable, and shows a general drop in performance.
5. Lying, stealing and other criminal tendencies: To get money for drugs the addict tells lies, steals, deceives people and may engage in other criminal acts.
6. Poor personal hygiene and untidy appearance: The addict becomes careless about grooming, dressing and cleanliness, and generally looks unkempt.
7. Mood swings and abnormal behaviour: The addict shows sudden changes of mood, laughs or cries without cause, hallucinates, talks to himself and behaves in strange, irrational ways.
8. Loss of appetite and disturbed sleep: The addict may eat poorly, lose weight, look sickly and either sleep excessively or suffer from sleeplessness.