If you have a suspicion that your loved one may be suffering from substance use-related issues, the first thing to do is educate yourself..
Often, we can see and live with the symptoms of a loved one's addiction without understanding that they are related to each other and pointing toward a much larger problem than we ever imagined. We might notice that our loved one is isolated from family and friends, temperamental, anxious, dishonest, paranoid, or suffering unusual aches and pains. We might even suspect that they are using too much alcohol or have started taking drugs--but sometimes we just don't want to admit that all of this could add up to addiction.