You may have heard of drug tests and wondered how to tell if your loved one is planning on faking their drug test so they don’t have to go through the hassle or embarrassment of going to rehab.
If you suspect someone you care about is faking their drug test, there are some common warning signs that they’re probably doing just that, and there are some ways to get them the help they need.
This article gives you the resources you need to figure out if your loved one is lying, and what you can do to help them quit drugs once and for all.
How Does It Happen?
Drug testing can be done in a few ways, most commonly through urine or hair. Urine drug tests are the most common because they can detect drugs as recently as a few days ago.
Hair drug tests are more expensive and have to be ordered ahead of time. They are also considered more exact than urine tests because they can detect drug use up to 90 days prior.
There are some simple telltale signs you can look out for when checking to see if someone has faked their drug test: whether their body temperature rises after being asked to take a test; shaking hands; cold sweat; dilated pupils; shallow breathing; uncoordinated movements and behaviors like avoiding eye contact.
If your loved one exhibits any of these symptoms, there’s an increased chance they’re trying to fake their drug test.
If you suspect your loved one is faking their test results, here are some tell-tale signs:
- They refuse to take their test despite having the opportunity.
- They use the restroom before testing and flush the toilet afterward.
- They only drink water before taking the test.
- Their urine has an unusual color that doesn’t match what they ate or drank in the last three hours.
- Their pee stream contains bubbles or foam.
- Their eyes appear glassy or bloodshot.
- If they offer to show you their hands, palms are often red and raw from washing them so much.
- Eyes have a glassy/bloodshot appearance
- Palms are sore from repeated hand washing
- It could even be possible that the person is using a penile prosthetic to provide fake urine. A penile prosthesis is a process used to treat erectile dysfunction using a penis implant. The implant can also be used to create fake urine samples and pass a drug test.
If your loved one displays any of these signs, chances are that they’re not clean – but remember that drug tests cannot measure past usage accurately, so if you feel like there’s still hope for recovery for them, encourage them to get back on track!
What to Do About It
Sometimes addicts will fake a drug test because they don’t have access to drugs when at home and feel like there is no escape from sobriety.
They may also do it because they need an excuse to get out of work or school for the day. When talking with them, try to find out what they’re feeling so that you can come up with a solution together.
You might decide that skipping the drug test was worth it if the person needs to take care of themselves for a few days.
Or maybe you’ll want to offer counseling services through your company benefits plan so they can start on the path to recovery and sobriety. Whatever you decide, make sure you communicate with them openly and honestly about how much this means to both of you!
If you suspect your loved one is faking their drug test, you should research the best way to confront them about it. The first step would be to find out how they are doing it.
It could be that they are using a fake urine sample or a plastic bag of clean urine. You will need to take into account how often they have been using drugs and how long ago they last used them.
If they were heavily under the influence recently, then it might not be too hard for them to fool their drug test. However, if they used drugs days ago and have been clean since then the trick may not work anymore.
Conclusion
If you suspect your loved one has been faking their drug tests, there are many things you can do in order to confirm your suspicions.
For example, looking at their behavior and taking note of whether they appear hungover after they said they passed the drug test. You should also look at any legal consequences that might arise from a suspicion that someone is faking their drug tests.
When someone’s employer suspects them of cheating on a drug test, the employer has every right to require an individual to take another test with supervision (for example with an observer watching).
If you or someone you know needs help for addiction or co-occurring disorder issues, please give us a call. Maryland Addiction Recovery Center offers the most comprehensive dual diagnosis addiction treatment in the Mid-Atlantic area. If we aren’t the best fit for you or your loved one, we will take the necessary time to work with you to find a treatment center or provider that better fits your needs. Please give us a call at (410) 773-0500 or email our team at info@marylandaddictionrecovery.com. For more information on all of our drug addiction, alcohol addiction and co-occurring disorder services and recovery resources, please visit our web site at www.marylandaddictionrecovery.com.