Dealing with drug addiction isn’t easy. It takes a lot of effort, time, and dedication to make sure that you aren’t falling into a relapse anymore. Often times, people don’t really realize that they have a drug abuse issues and need help regarding drug addiction treatment. They tend to think that they manage to control the issue and they are always able to stop on their own. However, you need to remember that drugs can affect and change brain structure, chemical reaction, and functionality. In most cases, drug addicts can’t make a solid judgment or decision on their own. After all, they are under the influence, right?
Understanding Drug Addiction
Basically, what is drug addiction, anyway? It is a chronic ailment that involves other substances’ usage and abuse – mostly in excessive numbers. Drug addiction is an uncontrollable condition where you want to find and use any drugs to fulfill your own desire and wants. In most severe cases, these people want to stop but their body doesn’t allow them to.
Because of the prolonged usage of the chemical substances, changes can happen in the brain – which will affect the way you think, make decision, or act. Based on the confessions of many drug users and their families, they experience physical as well as brain changes. Even after they are ‘cured’, the long lasting effect remains. Some people say that they suffer from a decrease in their ability. Some people suffer from the difficulty to think or focus (while they didn’t have such an issue before the drug abuse and desperately needed drug addiction treatment) and the others suffer from other issues and diminishing quality.
The drug issue can start from a very simple thing: the voluntary action to take (or in most cases, to try and experiment with) the drugs. Most people think that they are able to control everything. Most of them are arrogant enough to think that they have the ability to stop anytime they want to. But in most cases, such a decision can backfire. Instead of being able to take control, they find themselves trapped in a worse condition with a more complicated issue.
Diagnosing a Problem
Sometimes, you can’t really see whether someone has a drug abuse problem. However, you should be able to see some signs, especially when it happens to your loved ones. Drug issues may not change the physical appearance of the users but they will definitely experience some significant changes in their behaviors and habits.
A person is positively suffering from drug addiction when:
- They aren’t able to stop using the drugs. Instead, they will always try to use one.
- They can’t function well in any setting or condition. Whether they are with friends, families, or at work, they seem out of place and they seem to withdraw themselves. Social interactions are no longer interesting.
- They can’t stop using the drugs because the body doesn’t allow them to. When they stop using the drugs, withdrawal symptoms will occur.
- They start developing a physical tolerance to the usage and also the effect of the drugs. For instance, the regular dosage won’t be enough anymore so you need to increase it.
- They start consuming the drugs compulsively even after they know that there are risks and dangers.
In most cases, drug addiction can be cured and treated but keep in mind that the process won’t be easy. You need to remember that it is a chronic disease which means that you may need to deal with repeated care or long-term treatments to completely stop the habit. It is possible to be cured of the issue and note experiencing relapse with the proper care and treatment. Recovery isn’t easy but it doesn’t mean that it is impossible either. In the correct drug addiction treatment, the users need to stop using it, being free from it, and getting back to their previous condition where they can be functional, useful, and also productive in society, work, and family.
Effective drug addiction treatment and the Basic principles
When you want to be free from any drug or substance abuse, there are some of the important or key principles to adhere:
- Drug addiction is a complex issue that will definitely affect and change your behavior and brain functionality but it is curable and treatable.
- In most cases, combinations of different treatments and methods are required. So far, a single treatment won’t work to deliver a full-effect recovery.
- Different people have different cases and conditions. Different treatments may be needed to address different conditions. It is best to come up with adjustable and unique treatment that is right for a specific user.
- A quick and easy access to the drug addiction treatment is needed. In fact, it becomes crucial.
It is also important to find an effective treatment that goes along with your drug usage as well as your needs.
Behavioral therapies and counseling are the most common treatments used to help people with their drugs issues. In most cases, people fall into the trap of drug or substance abuse because of psychological issues. Knowing the core problem will help to solve the issue.
The Important Steps needed for drug addiction treatment
In order to achieve a successful drug addiction recovery, there are some important steps or stages that you need to undergo.
- Detox process is important. You need to make sure that any remaining substances that are left in the body will be removed and got rid off effectively so the system will return to its pure and normal condition.
- It is also important to follow up the detox program with the behavioral counseling.
- The doctor may prescribe a medication – for alternative substance usage. This type of treatment is common in alcohol, tobacco, or opioid addiction. However, it is imperative that the usage of the medication is strictly monitored and observed. This treatment can be implemented or not; depending on the doctor’s evaluation.
- The health professionals should also perform evaluations and further treatments in case the patients suffer from anxiety or depression.
- To prevent relapse or such issue from happening again, a long-term evaluation and follow-up are highly advised.
- Strong support from the loved ones, especially is needed. Often times, this is the one thing that will prevent one from using the drugs again.
Tiffany is a Medical Student and also works as a fitness coach in part-time. She is also a writer and writes on health and fitness articles. Tiffany loves to engage with users and help them provide various useful information on General Health. She provides researched-based information and also featured on various blogs and magazines.