Addicted individuals on television or in magazines are portrayed as junkies, criminals or worse. Even more disturbing is the fact that these stereotypes are still active in our culture today. The more you learn about addiction, the more you will find that all types of people become addicted.
No one plans to become addicted to drugs or alcohol, and people from every culture, background and income level are susceptible to addiction. In order to overcome addiction, it is important to understand the root causes of addiction and find out how newer drug treatments are helping people truly overcome addiction.
Addiction Is Not a Choice but Recovery Is
People often begin using drugs or alcohol in order to self-medicate a problem. Substance use may temporarily help a person overcome anxiety, depression, mania or feelings of not fitting in. Occasional use can quickly become regular substance abuse.
Many drugs such as opiate painkillers work to change the brain in ways that causes users of these drugs to become dependent within a matter of weeks. Once your body becomes accustomed to a drug, you will need more and more of that drug in order to achieve the same effects. At the same time your brain and body will adjust to the presence of the drug which leads to painful or even dangerous withdrawal symptoms once you stop using.
More than 50% of people who are dependent on drugs also have a co-occurring mental health concern, as many self-medicate legitimate mental illnesses such as anxiety, depression or bipolar disorder with the use of drugs. In other cases the use of drugs can cause mental health symptoms to begin or become worse.
Most people do not choose to be addicts. But you can choose recovery. Recovery is not always the easiest choice, but it is a brave choice and a choice you will never regret. Recovery is a rewarding process, and it may save your life.
Find Integrated Treatment and Help for Drug Addiction Now
Don’t settle for a recovery program that only addresses addiction-related behavior. Find a treatment program that helps you uncover the roots of addiction and heal yourself from the inside. Find effective integrated treatment that works to treat addiction and emotional issues at the same time.
The goal of integrated treatment is to combine detox, rehab and wellness services into one useful treatment package to help you heal faster and more completely. Most of the programs we work with accept insurance, and we can help you verify benefits for treatment. We also help families find intervention assistance, family support and counseling and ongoing treatment for recovery.