Addiction treatment is a difficult stage, and the only way to avoid it is to prevent addiction itself. Something can be done even before drug rehabilitation is required; what is important is recognizing the signs of substance abuse before these lead to full-blown addiction. This is not always easy, but recognizing the early signs of drug addiction will help prevent total addiction or help recovering addicts get through the withdrawal stage if ever reach that point. Seasons Recovery Center provides a list of the 10 most common signs of addiction to help you detect it as early as possible.

• Mood swings. Substance abusers can have sudden unexplained shifts in their mood or behavior; they can be jolly one second and suddenly depressed in the next. This is usually a sign of substance abuse or drug dependence.

• Memory loss and lapses in consciousness. Certain drugs can cause blackouts and lead to some memory loss. Many substance abusers have no recollection of the past few days after a binge.

• Nausea. Vomiting is common to substance abusers due to the large amount of drugs that enter the body at a time. It is the body’s usual reaction when foreign substances are introduced into the system, especially harmful ones.

• Anxiety. Substance abusers can be very anxious when they are deprived of the drug on which they are addicted. Sudden and severe anxiety attacks are not uncommon, and this can lead to confusion because an addict may want both drug rehabilitation and more drugs—whatever will provide an instant "fix."

• "Cotton mouth." An addict may drink large amounts of water due to a constant feeling of dryness in the mouth. This is a common symptom experienced even during the drug rehabilitation process and can lead to a condition commonly referred to as "meth mouth." Meth mouth is an advanced stage of tooth decay caused by constant dryness of the mouth and poor oral hygiene.

• Isolation. Substance abusers withdraw into their own world where their problems are solved through the use of drugs. The social lives of substance abusers suffer as they continue the downward spiral towards drug addiction.

• Psychological disorders. Co-occurring disorders are not uncommon in cases of severe addiction. Many addiction treatment programs are designed to address these disorders, which are often psychological in nature.

• Severe impairment in mental capacity and motor skills. Excessive drug use can cause nerve damage and can contribute to the deterioration of the brain. Continued substance abuse can eventually cause permanent and irreparable damage to the central nervous system.

• A tendency toward reckless behavior. Drug abuse can decrease an individual’s inhibitions and make him or her engage in activities in which he or she would not usually engage. This leads to bad habits that can usually be addressed during addiction treatment.

• A compulsion to take more drugs. This is the root of all addiction and its most recognizable symptom. This is rooted in drug dependence caused by constant, excessive consumption or use of a certain drug.