A short educational YouTube video (Amber Hollingsworth, Feb 22, 2020) that lists observable, physical signs and pieces of paraphernalia family members can look for when they suspect someone is using drugs. Amber compiles crowd-sourced/anecdotal indicators from friends and a recovery group, organized by substance: marijuana (e.g., sockets with resin, rolling papers, Gatorade bottles, dryer sheets), methamphetamine (torch lighters, hollowed light bulbs, Benzedrex), pills/medication misuse (foil pieces, razor blades, nasal spray, toilet paper in pill bottles), alcohol (empty bottles, excessive cologne/Listerine), cocaine (runny nose, droopy eyes, missing money, constricted/dilated pupils), and inhalants (balloons, air duster). Guest contributor Megan adds behavioral signs to watch for in teens and adult children (changes in routine, sleep, appetite, friends, grades; physical signs like dilated/constricted pupils, sweating, scratching/skin picking). The tone is practical and family-focused; the content is anecdotal and not presented as clinical diagnostic criteria.
Chapters
In today's video, we're going to cover signs that someone is using drugs. And by signs, I mean physical pieces of evidence. I think you might be surprised by some of the things on this list. For those of you who are new here, I'm Amber Hollingsworth and you're watching Put the Shovel down, the YouTube channel designed to help you understand the science and psychology of addiction so you can beat it. That sounds like something you need to do. Consider subscribing. Alright, on to our topic. Recently, someone recommended in our comments that we do this video signs that someone's using drugs. And so I've done a little interviewing because I know that I don't know all the signs and symptoms, but I've asked expert witnesses, meaning some friends I have in recovery and the group that I currently run, and here's the list that they've come up with you. Now, by no means is this an exhaustive list. This is just a short list for you. So if you know of other signs or pieces of evidence that someone's using drugs, please leave it in the comments below because it may help another family member out there looking for information. Alright, I try to put these in categories. So the first one is, and this is actually the longest list, but this is signs that someone's using marijuana. Ready. Water bottles with holes, sockets with resin in it. When my group told me this, I was like, what do you mean a socket? And they're talking about like a socket, like the tool, like a socket, you know, like wrenches, nuts, bolts, that kind of socket with resin inside of it. Resin being leftover marijuana in the bottom of the socket. Rolling papers. I think that's obvious. Probably shouldn't have even put that on the list. Big packages that come in the mail. A sudden interest in plastic bags, door stoppers. This was weird, but the group told me that the door stoppers, you know, the thing that keeps your door from like slamming into the wall. It looks like a little springy thing. So door stoppers, pipe cleaners, Q tips, clear eyes. Another obvious one. Toilet paper rolls, laundry detergent, Gatorade bottles and dryer sheets. All right, we have a fairly short list for signs and symptoms that someone is using. Meth, as in methamphetamine. And that is torches was the big one. So by torches, you know, it's those lighters that you don't just flicker, they come on and come off, but they sort of stay lit. They're called a torch lighter, those hollowed out light bulbs and Benzedrex, which is the Stuff you can buy at the drugstore. Next are signs and symptoms that your loved one might be doing. Pills, pieces of foil, little pieces of foil. Razor blades, a flat tray. It's kind of like a flat like serving tray because basically it's something to sort of put the pill on or crush it up, that kind of thing. Nasal spray, hollowed out pins. So think of like a big pen with the insides taken out because you have the tube or the straw left over. And they also put just big pens in general, if you see a lot of those. And toilet paper, because sometimes people that are doing pills will take toilet paper. Stuff it down in the peel bottle so it doesn't make that rattly sound when they're walking or they have it on them. Bottle caps and little pieces of cotton. Signs that someone may be drinking excessively. Empty bottles, unexplained mood changes, excessive Listerine use and excessive cologne or perfume that's usually used to cover up the smell. Next is signs that your loved one might be using cocaine. Runny nose, droopy eyes, missing money. Hey, that's a big one. That should also go under pills for sure. That's probably the biggest one. And pupil size. Pupil size is also something that you should put under someone that might be taking pills as well. They'll have really sort of constricted pupils. So it means even when they walk into a sort of dim room, their pupils don't dilate like they regularly should. So that you're looking for that sort of restricted pupil size. And lastly, I want to add to the list balloons, air duster and or inhalants. And I've got a special surprise for you because I asked a good friend of mine, Megan from the Megan F YouTube channel, to weigh in on what she thinks are signs and symptoms that you have a loved one using drugs. So let's hear what Megan has to say about this topic and I'll be sure to leave a link to her channel at the end of the video.
If you're worried that your kid might be using drugs, it's pretty obvious to spot as long as you're paying attention. If the child is like a preteen or teenager and living in your home, just look for any changes in their routine, changes in their sleeping habits. Are they sleeping too much or not enough? Are they eating? Like, are their friends changing? Are their grades suffering? It's pretty easy to see, honestly. But I think sometimes we see our child as we want them to be instead of how they actually are. Now, if you do see any of these changes, it doesn't mean it's drugs automatically, but it does mean that they need you, they have something going on, and they need your help. If it's an adult child living outside of the house, that's when things get a little bit tricky because you don't really have any control over them and you probably see them a whole lot less. But if they are at your house and you are getting suspicious, some things that I would look out for would be actual physical symptoms of the drugs. You can look it up on Google, but depending on the drug, it might have dilated pupils, they might have constricted pupils, they might be sweaty, they might be scratching a lot and itching, or they may be picking at their skin. All of those could be symptoms of different drugs. So you'll just kind of have to play it by ear. I wouldn't accuse them. I would just kind of observe them. My name is Megan, and you can Find me on YouTube. EganF I share my story online because I want to break down that stigma. I want to fight back against the misinformation that exists out there, and I want to spread hope because recovery is always possible.
