How Addiction Shows in Appearance and Hygiene

No matter what the substance, addiction can take a drastic toll on your way of life. Not only can addiction ruin your relationships, it can also drastically damage your health and appearance. Addiction sometimes becomes all too visible. It shows in many ways. Many addictions do reach that point where feeding the habit takes priority over caring for oneself by the addict.

Here are a few ways that addiction can change how you appear and take care of yourself.


1. The skin.

Using substances can take a huge toll on how the skin appears. Factor in as well that with addicts, many people who are actively using may not be getting the full spectrum of nutrition that a wholesome diet would usually include (or they do not have much of an appetite and are not taking in as many nutrients and calories that they should a day). This can cause people to lose a great deal of weight, for their skin to appear sallow or thin, for protruding cheekbones, or just simply looking unhealthy due to malnutrition. Many addicts look older than their biological age, have wrinkles or deep folds in their skin, and display scars and marks more prominently.


2. Bad oral health.

Drug use can often show up very visibly in the mouth. A variety of dental and gum results can happen as a result of addiction, including teeth that are yellow or even decaying. A lack of dental care combined with an absence from the dentist means that addicts also often suffer from bad breath. Whether their self care has lapsed or they frequently smoke or just don't brush their teeth, people who abuse substances often display a less than pearly white smile and fresh minty breath.


3. Dirty or grungy clothing.

Sometimes a person who is an avid substance abuser can be wearing clothing that is shoddy or filthy. They may wear dirty layers of clothing and you can bet that doing their laundry is not high up enough on the priority list, as they have either not the time or motivation to do it or a lack of money because it's all going elsewhere. They also will frequently have a dirty or cluttered place of residence or smell bad because guess what, they haven't been showering because their hot water is off or they're drifting between different paces.


4. Their eyes.

The eyes can become overly dry, or yellowed, or even look strange, surrounded by under eye circle and bags or looking puffy. In fact, many people who abuse drugs really feel like the entire shape and look of their face is strange and unfamiliar to them. If your eyes become discolored or feel dry, consulting a medical professional may provide you with relief.


5. Greasy hair.
Hair can get pretty oily quickly, even after 24 hours. So when someone is more interested in doing drugs than showering, or has a resulting depression or energy affectation that is getting in the way of regular showers, or they're homeless, someone who's in the depths of addiction may have oily hair that seems like it could use a wash.


A disorganized and possibly unhygienic lifestyle quickly becomes normal to someone who is under the influence. If you want to overcome addiction and recognize these signs in yourself, help is a phone call away.

How to Stay Positive While in Recovery

When it comes to getting clean, it's an accomplishment. It takes making that first step and following through, your time, your effort, and your struggle. While every day in recovery can be unique, your reaction to getting clean may not be as intense in the following days. Your daily routine and your life may even rediscover some semblance of normalcy. When you finish 90 days of meetings and recovery, you could say that you are out of the red zone.

Unfortunately, for people who struggle with addiction there is never a truly safe day in recovery. Recovering addicts are always at risk of relapsing. Statistically, many people will relapse and it can be really tough. All of your efforts at getting sober have been wasted. But that doesn't have to be you. You can stay sober and positive while in recovery, giving yourself a better shot at staying clean and having a stable life.


How to Stay Positive While in Recovery


We're going through the top tips we have to stay positive in recovery. It's not enough to just quit the substance-- you must truly work to discover and pursue what makes you happy. Being sober alone will not provide a sense of purpose or happiness. Read on to find out how you can cultivate a positive attitude while you are in recovery.


Try new things that you think you might like.

During recovery, it's important to keep your mind occupied. This will give you something you enjoy to do so you're not wandering around in a void, obsessing or focusing on your substance of choice. This is a good time to discover new hobbies and things you might like to do. Think about activities you might like to try, such as ship building, Ultimate Frisbee, bowling, or reading. You may find that you really look forward to participating in these types of activities.


Prioritize your relationships and apologize to those you have hurt.

Chances are that when you weren't in recovery, your relationships may have suffered. That's to be expected. Don't rush into getting them the way that they used to be-- put some effort into reaching out, extending apologies where you have hurt others. Try to mend relationships and make the people in your life a priority. Perhaps you will realize that you enjoy making friends and spending time with people socializing.


Maintain your diet, sleep, and physical health.

Avoid negative moods and substitute your former lifestyle with a new and healthier one. Taking care of yourself will help reinforce all the positive efforts that you are making to be a healthier, happier person. Exercise regularly and find new ways to do so. Make sure you are getting good rest and eating properly. Nutrition and exercise can play a big role in how good your brain feels.


Give back.

Now is the time to give back to others. You may find a new sense of purpose in volunteering or providing services such as working at the local animal shelter if you love caring for animals. It'll help keep you busy but also boost your spirits significantly. Helping others really does feel good.


Continue going to meetings and communicating with your sponsor.

It is so important while recovering to continue to go to meetings and keep communicating with your sponsor. Anything that keeps you focused on recovery and your spirits up, keeping you talking and sharing and progressing, is good. You want to be accountable to others as well as yourself--maintain that positive mind frame and reinforce it as much as you can.


Do a spiritual activity that feels good to you.

It could be connecting with a loved one who has passed, praying, meditating, or going to your temple or church. Connecting to something that is meaningful to you, pursuing practices that you find soothing or strengthening, may be able to help you while you are in recovery.


Try to cultivate appreciation.

Appreciating what you have instead of focusing on what you lack is a valuable skill to learn! Having gratitude for being alive and all the beautiful things in your life will help you stay in a positive place, which will aid you in recovery and be a vital part of staying sober.