The physical signs of abuse or addiction can vary depending on the person and the drug being abused. In addition, each drug has short-term and long-term physical effects. For example, someone who abuses marijuana may have a chronic cough or worsening of asthmatic conditions. Stimulants like cocaine increase heart rate and blood pressure, whereas opioids like heroin may slow the heart rate and reduce respiration.

middot; Sores around the ears and nape of the neck may develop an inflamed look and may become infected (generally by the microbes introduced from our fingernails during scratching). middot; Visually, by finding crawling lice or nits (eggs) on hair shaft within 1/4" of the scalp.

If your teen is using alcohol or drugs, you may notice changes in behavior and mood at home, in grades and attitude toward school, and in friends and leisure activities. You may also find evidence such as cigarettes or drugs in your teen's possession, chemical-soaked rags or papers in the trash, or paint or other stains on his or her clothing, hands, or face. The smell of smoke or alcohol on your teen's clothing or breath may indicate a substance abuse problem.

REPEATED INJURIES: Bruises, welts, burns. Parents may seem unconcerned, deny that anything is wrong, or give unlikely explanations for the injuries. NEGLECTED APPEARANCE:Children often are badly nourished, inadequately clothed, are left alone or are wandering at all hours, always seem as if nobody cares. (Sometimes, though, over-neatness may be a sign of abuse.) DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR: Very aggressive, negative behavior constantly repeated can signal a desperate need for attention and help.

Sometimes there are no obvious physical signs of sexual abuse, and a physician must examine the child to confirm the abuse.

I have ADHD and can't think in school. My parents won't do anything about it except to tell me to work harder. My parents took the door off my bedroom because I got caught smoking. Now my brother watches me get dressed.

Depending on the drug of abuse, some of the educational seminars and group sessions may vary, but essentially the drug treatment as offered centers around addiction recovery, regardless of the drug of use and abuse. Every patient entering into a ChooseHelp.com rehab will undergo a comprehensive pre assessment period, and addictions professionals will design a recovery plan tailored to the needs of the individual.

We can provide national and state data collected by SAMHSA's Office of Applied Studies as indicated below. For further information on our services, click on the following: Office of Applied Studies (OAS), OAS Data Systems, OAS Home Page. Also, check our Short Reports on selected topics related to substance abuse:

A companion site to the PBS series. Includes: Description, Drugs and Their Effects, First Person: Julio's Story, Raw Footage, Read All About It, Transcript and three video clips. Also Take the Club Drugs 101 Quiz. A companion site to the PBS series. Includes: Transcript, First Person: Teen Stories of Addiction, Facts About Club Drugs, Your Brain on Ecstasy, and Take the Club Drugs 101 Quiz. Includes three video clips.

Let your doctor know if you are taking other prescription medications, over-the-counter drugs or herbal supplements.

The signs and symptoms of eczema (atopic dermatitis) vary from person to person. Most commonly, the affected skin becomes very dry, itchy, red and swollen; sometimes it's cracked, crusty and scaly. Older children usually get the eczema rash behind the knees, inside the elbows, on the sides of the neck, and on the wrists, ankles and hands In adults, eczema usually shows up as rashes on the arms, legs, hands and neck, but any location can be involved

The essential feature of bipolar disorder is recurrent, remitting, cyclical episodes of both mania and depression throughout the course of the illness with one or more manic episodes usually accompanied by one or more major depressive episodes. Most frequently the initial episode that leads to hospitalization is manic. It is essential to understand that this disorder is characterized by different degrees of intensity of the symptoms in either the manic or the depressive stage.

The illness usually begins with a high fever (measured temperature greater than 100.4°F [>38.0°C]). The fever is sometimes associated with chills or other symptoms, including headache, general feeling of discomfort, and body aches. Some people also experience mild respiratory symptoms at the outset. Diarrhea is seen in approximately 10 percent to 20 percent of patients.