There are over 22.7 million people in the USA that suffer from substance abuse and addiction problems. Over the last few years, the DUI (Driving under Influence) incidents have increased significantly, pointing towards a nationwide problem of drug abuse and alcohol dependence. However, only about 10% of the people receive proper treatment for their addiction problems. In most cases, people do not consider their problems bad enough for the medical care and specialized attention. That leads to worsening cases of dependence and addiction-related health issues.
How can you tell if you are addicted to drugs or alcohol?
According to the experts who study the cause, symptom, and prognosis of addiction problems, the first step towards a cure is accepting that you have a problem. It might be a hard thing to do since admitting one’s fault and accepting the hurt that you may have been causing to your near and dear ones is never easy. A majority of the times, people cannot muster the courage to accept the responsibility of their worsening condition. Just because you have not hit rock bottom, does not mean you need to stay away from rehabilitation and counseling. Your alcohol and drug abuse might be affecting your personal relations and carrier. Here are the ten criteria that define addiction problems in an individual:
- The lack of control over substance use.
- The desire to stop but unable to do so.
- Facing regular cravings.
- Spending significant time and money procuring the substance of addiction.
- The lack of responsibility for the repercussions of the actions under the influence.
- Worsening dependence and situations as a cause of the action of the substance.
- Severe symptoms of withdrawal once you stop taking the drug.
- Reckless behavior under the influence and increasing doses/amounts of substance constantly.
- The loss of interest in social interactions, professional development, and other hobbies.
- Building a tolerance towards the substance and the desire to explore stronger doses or higher quantities
The severity of your addiction depends on how many of these ten problems you face on a regular basis. The intensity of the craving, level of risk and seriousness of withdrawal depends on your extent of dependence.
Why is it more difficult for some to detox and stay away from drugs?
Some people are susceptible to addiction. Scientists have come across multiple inheritable factors (genetic mutations) that make people prone to drug and alcohol abuse. Adding social and economic factors to the genetic factors increases a person’s chances of suffering from addiction. Relying on genetics to explain something as complex as drug-related behavior problems is trivializing the matter. A plethora of factors may have driven you to seek comfort or engage in self-destructive behavior. Saying goodbye to any substance, you may have been using for months or years are not going to be easy. In fact, it is almost impossible for those, who want to quit at home. The physical exhaustion and pain are enough to drive them back to their substance soon enough. That is the reason you need to pick a responsible, reputable and experienced rehabilitation center for your de-addiction and detox process.
Why should someone seek rehabilitation and therapy for drug and alcohol abuse immediately?
Checking into a proper rehab comes with specific assurances. You can know for sure that they have handled critical addiction and abuse cases before. They have trained staff that can help ease the discomfort and pain of the withdrawal process. Hence, participating in a proper drug rehabilitation program, participating in group discussions and seeking one-on-one counseling sessions can help you see better life beyond drugs and alcohol. Psychological counseling and social support groups are almost always mandatory for drug abuse victims. According to the experts at Black Mountain Rehab dependence on alcohol and drugs takes a significant toll on physical health and mental health.
- Sometimes, the extensive periods of addiction cause neurological problems in human beings. It increases the chances of Korsakoff Syndrome, Alzheimer’s, liver cirrhosis and failure, kidney problems and increases the risk of developing various types of cancer.
- Drug and alcohol abuse also contributes to significant mental health problems. Alcohol-induced psychosis and short-term memory loss (amnesia) might sound like small issues, but they are the stepping stones to more complicated psychological disorders that range from manic disorders, hallucinations, delusions, and schizophrenia.
The physical and mental distress can harm a person’s social and personal relationships. Even in a world without prescription drugs and alcohol, maintaining workplace relationships, personal relations and giving enough time for social interactions is becoming difficult. As a person’s frequency of drug and alcohol abuse increases, the person withdraws more from other people. Party due to physical incapacity and mental disorders, their existing correspondences with the outer world becomes strained. Sometimes, when other people get a whiff of the person’s addiction problems, they cut ties to avoid social stigma. It acts as a positive feedback loop, where the person delves deeper into the world of addiction to find solace or increases the doses as an act of self-harm. In either case, the person does not make it easier for himself. Increasing dependence makes his or her health problems much worse than before.
How do some drugs challenge the immune system?
People dependent on intravenous (IV) drugs experience a significant increase in the risk of developing hepatitis C, HIV, and other blood-borne diseases. In an inebriated state, it is impossible to keep track of safety precautions and personal hygiene. Sharing needles between drug abusers is one of the leading reasons for the transmission of blood-borne viral diseases among them. Additionally, the presence of alcohol and drugs in the system on a regular basis damages the immune system. Even common cold can take a deadly form for the victims of drug abuse, who do not seek rehabilitation and detoxification for years on end. Compromised immunity is also one of the first reasons they are at a higher risk of developing tumors and cancers of various parts of the body.
Why is giving up on detoxifying and rehabilitation never an option?
There are thousands of people across the fifty states, who are battling drug and alcohol abuse problems on a regular basis. Losing your job or being kicked out of your school/college, might seem like the worst thing that can happen to anyone, but if you continue on the path of substance abuse, the outcome will be much worse. In fact, you may not be the victim of this situation, but someone very close to you may have been on the receiving end of the harsh verdict. In that case, you should take a step back, free your mind of all judgment and try to get the help he or she deserves at the moment. Quitting drinking or drugs is not as easy as most people believe it to be. Apart from the several mental challenges, people have to face severe health issues during the entire period of detoxification. As a close friend or a loved member of the family, you can stand by their side while they check themselves in and go through the multi-step detox process.
What should you remember while researching the rehabilitation centers and their locations?
Choosing a rehabilitation center is not as easy as it seems to be. We have seen several potential recovering addicts shy away from a program since they could not decide which one to opt for. Choosing the correct plan can affect the outcome of your treatment. The level of training, expertise, and experience of the staff will determine the progress of your de-addiction.
Now, you must remember that one location might not be the best for everyone. Each person requires different treatment and facilities. Budget is one of the leading motivation factors that will determine the final rehabilitation center of choice. However, asking a family therapist or an old psychological counselor you have been to can help you find the proper treatment for their addiction problems.
There are several reasons you might want to pick a remote rehabilitation facility for you or a loved one.
- Local addict influence: there might be other people in your family or immediate social circle, who exacerbate the dependence problems. It can be by offering more substance of abuse or through psychological abatement of addiction. Nonetheless, if you have people who can impede the outcome of a rehabilitation process in your vicinity, you should consider going to a remote facility or sending your loved one to one.
- Surmounting stress at home: home should be safe and serene, but that is rarely the case today. Several drug addicts turn to substances because they want to get away from the stress at home. If you are one of them, a remote rehabilitation facility can help you. Experts recommend a secluded rehabilitation home, when the addict has strenuous relationships at home, with friends and the local people. That helps the victims fight their addiction without the added burden of stress.
- Preservation of anonymity: people can confide about their anonymity. While attending a local rehab, a person can come across known faces including the local doctor, pastor or parents/friends of other addicts. To avoid awkward encounters and personal conflicts it is necessary for them to choose remote rehabilitation facilities.
Irrespective of which rehab you pick and what kind of program you attend, you need to commit. Never defer the initiation for the next day. Speak with an expert at createrecoverycenter.com, and seek help, today! Taking a step in the right direction is brave, and it is braver than taking another hit.
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