A "high" person referred to in this article is someone who is in a drunken state due to the influence of drugs. If you suspect that someone is high, you can ask them directly, or you can look for signs of their physical condition and behavior. In many cases, a person who is high will regain consciousness or calm down on their own without harm. But in other cases, someone who is high may need help. Observing someone who is high can help you determine if he or she needs medical attention or help getting home safely. Of particular importance is paying attention to whether a person is being given drugs by someone else, against his own will.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Checking for Physical Signs
Step 1. Look at the person's eyes
Taking medications can cause the eyes to become red or watery. Eyelids that shrink or widen can be a sign of the influence of drugs, stimulant drugs, or "club drugs" (drugs commonly consumed by visitors to nightclubs, discotheques, parties, concerts, or similar events/places). Check for rapid or abnormal eye movements. Abnormal eye movements, or “nystagmus,” is a symptom of certain types of medication.
If a person wears sunglasses indoors or in the shade, they may actually be trying to hide their red or drug-affected eyes
Step 2. Smell the person
A person taking club drugs may smell sweet, smoke, or urine. A chemical or iron odor may mean he has inhaled the scent of a toxic household product, such as glue or paint thinner.
Smells such as incense, air freshener, strong perfume or cologne may be intended to mask the smell of the drugs being taken
Step 3. Examine the person's mouth
Watch how he swallows and watch his movements. Saliva and lip smacking can be signs of a dry mouth, which is a sign of drug use. Wetting lips, gritting teeth or tilting the chin may mean the person is high on marijuana.
Step 4. Check the person's nose
A nose that bleeds for no apparent reason can mean the person has smoked drugs, such as cocaine, methamphetamine, or other narcotics. A runny or stuffy nose can be caused by a number of things, but in combination with other symptoms can indicate that the person is high. The frequency of rubbing the nose can also be a sign.
A person who inhales drugs may have powdery residue in their nostrils or on the upper lip
Step 5. Check the person's hand
Shaking hands can be a sign of club drug use, inhalants, or hallucinogens. Sweaty palms can be a sign of a hangover. Burning fingertips can be a sign of cocaine consumption.
Step 6. Check the person's vital signs
Pulse rate, respiratory rate, body temperature, and blood pressure can be affected by the use of drugs. If you feel safe touching the person in question, check their pulse and temperature. Cold and sweaty skin is a sign of drug use. Elevated blood pressure, pulse, or difficulty breathing can all be signs of drug use.
Some types of drugs cause chest pain and even a heart attack. Seek medical attention for someone who seems to have chest pain
Step 7. Check for signs of habitual drug use
Those who use drugs such as methamphetamine, bath salts, or heroin, often inject these drugs, resulting in injection scars. Check for dark spots, cuts, and bruises around the veins. An open wound that is healing can be a sign that the person has recently taken medication.
Sores or rashes in the mouth or nose can also be a sign of drug use
Step 8. Check existing medical supplies
Pipes, rolled paper, syringes and rubber tubes may easily be recognized as drug paraphernalia, but unthinkable objects in the home can also indicate active drug use. Bent spoons, eye drops, and cotton balls may be indications of narcotic use. Razor blades, mirrors, and small spoons can be indications of using stimulant drugs. Milk bottles, candy cans, and lollipops may be used by people to take club drugs, such as ecstasy, which causes the chin to tilt.
Part 2 of 2: Checking for Behavioral Signs
Step 1. Listen to the person's speech
A person who is high may speak too quickly, or may have difficulty speaking. A person who utters harsh words but doesn't smell of alcohol may be on a high from drugs.
If the person you're talking to appears to be having trouble concentrating or following a conversation, or is having paranoid thoughts, telling lies, or is panicking, the person may be high
Step 2. Observe the person's movements
A person who is high may react slowly, or may not react to the people or things around him. If a person appears to be in no pain, they may be high. Physical coordination that appears to be rapidly deteriorating is also a sign of drug use.
- A person who moves unsteadily like a drunk person, but doesn't smell like alcohol, is probably high.
- A drunk person who appears to be in an unnatural manner may also have used drugs or been given drugs.
Step 3. Watch for changing or abnormal energy levels
Depending on the drug, a person who is high may become overly excited, relaxed, anxious and restless, exuberant, overconfident, or aggressive. Find an unusual intensity of mood, or mood swings that are too rapid. If you know someone well, and he or she is behaving out of character, it may be a sign of drug use.
Difficulty sleeping and restlessness can be signs that someone is high, because the condition looks like a sleepy person. If you can't wake the "sleeping" person because they're high, they may have fainted and need medical attention
Step 4. Watch for inappropriate behavior
If you know someone well, you can tell when they show great friendliness, can't contain themselves, are less able to judge situations, and have an increased/decreased appetite or sexual appetite. Also, irrational laughter and constant snacking are signs of marijuana use.
- A person who is intoxicated by a strong drug may be hallucinating, ie seeing or feeling things that are not there. Delirious, experiencing psychotic symptoms, or acting violently, may be caused by drug use.
- Some people who use drugs appear because of a complete change in their behavior.
Tips
- None of these symptoms can definitively prove that the person is high. Watch the combination of symptoms to make sure that someone is really high.
- Some mental and physical disorders can be caused by drugs. Slurred speech, unnatural movements, and mood swings can also be caused by things other than drugs.
- If you're on good terms with someone, or if they need your help, ask them what they're eating as the most direct way to find out if they're high.
Warning
- Dealing with someone who behaves erratically can be dangerous. Keep yourself out of any situation with someone that makes you anxious.
- Seek emergency medical attention if you have any other reason to suspect that someone has overdosed or needs physical or psychological help because of drug use.
- Accompany the person if you have reasonable reason to believe that they are being given drugs against their will. Those who appear to be unnaturally intoxicated (e.g., very drunk after only one drink) and/or being led by someone may have been sedated by the guide with the drug “Rohypnol” (known in the community as “roofie”). Call an ambulance and/or police or campus security if this happens.
- Seek emergency medical attention if a person faints, has difficulty breathing, has a seizure, or complains of chest pain or physical pressure.
