Physical Changes

• Weight loss, pale face, circles under eyes
  
• Red eyes (or frequent use of eye drops)
  
• Unexplained skin rashes
  
• Persistent cough, frequent colds
  
• Changes in sleep and/or eating patterns
  
• Deterioration in personal hygiene
  
• Odour of alcohol or other drugs
  
• Obvious intoxication
  

Behavioural Changes

• Increased need and use of money
  
• Quitting or getting fired from jobs
  
• New friends, lying secretiveness, mysterious phone calls
  
• Attendance problems at work or school
  
• Drop in performance at work or school
  
• Accidents at work or school
  
• Mood swings (e.g. angry outbursts, sadness/depression or elated mood)
  
• Verbal and/or physical abuse of family members
  
• Spending more time alone
  
• Quitting hobbies or extracurricular activities
  
• Theft and missing valuables, alcohol or medication
  

Items to Look for:

• Alcohol and other drugs in possession
  
• Mouthwash, breath sprays or eye drops
  
• Thinners, tippex or other solvents (indicates inhalant abuse)
  
• Bank bags, rolling papers (rizla, etc), broken glass bottle tops, pipes of various shapes and sizes, pieces of tinfoil, mirrors, razor blades, small screens or burnt spoons
  
• Seeds (from dagga plants)
  
• Incense burning
  
• Burns or stains on hands and clothing
  

Some of the above symptoms may be due to other reasons besides drug use, such as sexual abuse. Adolescence is also a time of physical changes as well as changes of your role in society. To a degree some of the above symptoms may be completely normal for an adolescent. Substance abuse normally results in a substantial change in a whole range of behaviours.