An addiction to drugs or alcohol is a serious disease. If not properly treated, such an addiction could prove life threatening. It is important for the friends and family to be able to identify the signs that things have gone too far. For those that are not familiar with the common signs of an addiction disorder, the following is a brief overview of the most prevalent ones.

Overall mood and personality changes will occur and not for the better. Mood swings can range from mania to depression to pure lethargy. The person simply is no longer behaving like him/herself.

There will be clear behavioral signs which are indicative of an addiction. At the workplace, an individual's performance could degrade significantly. Chronic lateness or absences are commonplace. Arguments and problems with co-workers and supervisors occur with great frequency. At home, the addict can become very neglectful of personal hygiene and responsibilities. Worse yet, parents will become neglectful of their children and fail to provide proper care. Excess borrowing or even stealing money from others would be another significant sign a person requires funds to cover drug related expenses.

Addicts will begin to withdraw socially as they begin to invest more and more of their time using. They will also spend an inordinate amount of time sleeping due to fatigue related to using or "crashing" after use.  Addicts can learn a lot in a 20 hour drug and alcohol awareness class.

In addition to the behavioral changes, there will be physical symptoms that are common with drug or alcohol issues. While there may be different physical problems that can arise depending upon the substance of choice, the common thread would be the very unhealthy nature of the developing traits. For example, infections of the skin and puncture marks would be indicative of heroin or other IV drug use. Problems with the nose such as excessive running, nose bleeds, throat issues, and other nasal problems would be signs of snorting drugs along the lines of cocaine, meth, and heroin. Smokable drugs can cause respiratory problems and also the distinct smell of the drugs may linger on the person's clothing.

Furthermore, redness of the eyes and the constriction of the pupils are other signs of being under the influence. Rapid eye movement could be another indication as would long, blank stares displaying being unaware of one's condition or surroundings.

Slurred speech, excessive fatigue and drowsiness to the point of passing out, and a lack of physical coordination such as a lack of motor skills are also signs of being impaired due to substance abuse. Incoherent speech or droning rambling dialogues displaying a disconnection from reality would likely be based on drug or alcohol use.

If you come across any drug paraphernalia it is best not to be in denial about their purpose. If someone has possession of such items then they are almost positively intended as a way of administering a drug of choice.

When you begin to notice one or more of these symptoms, you have good cause for alarm. These symptoms are serious warning signs that a person is suffering from a drug or alcohol related problem. The first step on the road to recovery would be to sign-up for alcohol drug classes online. These classes provide both the addict and his family easy, private access to a therapist and education for rehabilitation. They can be taken on an ongoing basis to help maintain a “clean” life.

Trying to break the habit of an alcohol and substance addiction is one of the most difficult challenges to overcome. Attending Alcoholics Anonymous meetings has proven to be an extremely successful route for many people. However, for those who are ready to take the first step towards sobriety, but do not want to do in a group atmosphere, online alcohol and drug classes are the perfect solution.

Alcohol and drug courses online provide lessons on what the indulgence is doing to your health, techniques to redirect the desire for alcohol or drugs, stress management skills, and also give you the ability to contact a licensed professional on the phone at any time. Classes vary in length from 4 hours to the longest and most advanced class at 24 hours of lessons. The student can drop in and out of the lessons at his or her convenience day or night. Classes are strictly private and confidential, but support groups are also available for those students who are ready to reach out to others for help. If you start out with a short class, you can add another one when you are done to keep the support going and help you to maintain sobriety.

If you have run into trouble with the law by getting a DUI or other alcohol/drug related offenses, the court often approves these online classes as part of your restitution and rehabilitation. The student simply reads through the course and has to pass tests along the way. Usually a 70% overall will give you a passing grade. A certificate of completion is awarded at the end of the course for you to give to the courts as proof that the course has been taken.

Taking these classes before things escalate to a legal level is the best tactic. Also, for anyone with an alcoholic relative, taking this class is a good idea. Families can sit together in front of the computer to learn the lessons. Abuse has a genetic component, and understanding the environmental factors that lead to abuse can prevent future tragedies. The lessons are interesting and informative. Students taking the classes will hear stories of people who have suffered consequences due to drug use, losing their spouse, relatives, and children due to abuse problems. These are an eye-opening look at the toll that abuse can take on a person’s life and how their addiction affects everyone else in their life. They are generally low-cost and can be taken from the comfort of your home from any state. Just type in, for example, Delaware alcohol and drug awareness classes online and you will find the information you need to get started. Online classes are an informative and supportive tool for an individual to use to maintain their sobriety. At the touch of a button, you are online and can seek the help you need immediately!

Education can be considered one of the most essential components of alcohol prevention and rehabilitation. With the introduction of online alcohol abuse classes, one can receive the help of a professional in the comfort and privacy of their own home. This is a convenient way of starting all over again without the pressure of having to physically get to a traditional classroom and face others or face the counselor personally. Specifically, you can sit at your computer and look up Connecticut alcohol awareness classes, or from any of the 50 states and find one at your fingertips. For individuals who are well-known or prominent in the community, this aspect can be a huge benefit as there is absolutely no public exposure and all information is kept completely confidential. Having a positive, secure learning environment is crucial for the attendee to be mentally involved and absorb the information.

Online alcohol awareness classes aim to provide basic information regarding alcohol and what leads to alcohol addiction. These classes were specifically designed to teach important facts about alcoholism such as the definition of alcohol, alcohol addiction, cause of addiction, and ways to prevent this problem. While the average professional adult might feel that this is simplistic or obvious, having this information reiterated by a lensed professional often helps to establish the significance. Since classes are online, they are perfect for busy people as they can be taken at any time of the day or night. One can choose the length of class that best suits him, like 10 hour alcohol awareness classes.

For most people, taking online alcohol awareness classes can be a life changing move. Since alcohol drinkers are prone to anger and have the tendency to cause physical and verbal abuse, classes serve as an eye opener for them to realize what they're doing and how they’re possibly treating others. Skills are taught to help prevent divorce, avoid custody battles and control their stress and anger in healthy ways other than drinking. These classes work as a mirror which lets the individual see what might happen if they won't put an end to their misbehavior. This is an extremely beneficial path to take to get one’s family life back on track.

Finally, online alcohol awareness classes aim to provide long term benefits for those who wish to take them. A professional therapist, as well as the guidance of the classes, are available 24/7 for those who feel that they need help immediately at any time of the day or night. These classes were not designed to be a quick fix, or band-aid, but can and should be taken as continuing education and support on an ongoing basis.

A lot of teenagers choose to experiment with drugs either because they want to be cool or someone else is pressuring them to do so. If you want to protect your teen from making the wrong choices then you need to give them an education so they know what the consequence of use are. Online Minor in Possession Classes are available in different hour time slots, 8-24. These classes are going to cover everything about drugs and what effects they have on other people along with the drug user. The 8 hour class covers a lot but the 24 hour class goes in-depth more than all the others. There are a lot of good facts and solid information given with these classes and they can be taken in the comfort of home. It's something a teenager could really use, since most high schools don't spend enough time educating their students about drugs.

The biggest problem with Drug Awareness Classes is that those who really need it won't go to it. Being a drug addict myself, I understand how difficult it is to see your problem. Often the drugs and alcohol are perceived as the only answer to all of the difficulties in your life. You can't see that it is this use of drugs and alcohol that is causing many of the problems, and magnifying those that may have nothing to do with the abuse. It is an unfortunate contradiction in the nature of addiction: that which you believe is helping is actually hurting. So when you feel that your life is becoming too difficult you go to the thing that is causing life to be so difficult. Therefore, a drug awareness class doesn't seem like a realistic solution. It seems like a waste of time. Time that you could be spending feeling better in the bar.