| Seeking Help For |
|
| Age Group | |
| Main Drug Abused |
|
Describe the general situation at the present with the addicted person.
Subscribe to Weekly Newsletter
Contact me by :
Google Bookmarks
— 
Share with a friend
Untitled Document
Drug Addiction Recovery
Drug addiction is a learned behavior. Drug addiction recovery is the act of “unlearning” addiction so that being clean and sober becomes habitual. Addiction recovery is a multi-step process that begins with becoming clean and stable and transitions into staying stable in one’s life long after treatment is complete. Individuals who are recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction first need to realize that they have a problem and make the decision that they are willing to work towards a solution.
Withdrawal and detox from drugs and alcohol is the first part of drug addiction recovery. This process may be painful and the hardest to achieve depending on the drugs the individual is coming off. This is only part of the initial steps of addiction recovery; many people misinterpret this vital step as the "only" step and feel that they have accomplished their goal of addiction recovery. Once the drugs and alcohol are completely out of the user's system, they are then better able to handle learning new information and acquiring knowledge.
Once detoxification if complete, drug addiction must help the recovering addict understanding what caused them to begin using drugs or alcohol as well as finding solutions to prevent further abuse. This brings us to another step of addiction recovery where individuals need to learn communication skills, personal ethics, social and anti-social personality traits, how to repair past damage they may have caused others, in addition to planning a strategy for their future.
The road to drug addiction recovery is sometimes long and difficult. Many individuals undergoing treatment encounter numerous obstacles along the way. For the majority of people, the road to addiction recovery begins by entering a drug rehab. A drug rehabilitation program is a multi-phase, multi-faceted, long term process that generally starts with some type of detoxification. However, once the individual has physically detoxed from drugs and/or alcohol there are still many obstacles to overcome. They still need to learn the tools necessary to remain clean and sober once they leave treatment.
There are many “triggers” that the recovering addict may encounter post rehab once they have ventured back into the “real world.” These triggers spark memories in the brain that remind them of their days of using. Relapse often takes place when the individual returns to the same environment and/or associates with the same people they previously used drugs or alcohol with. Even small things such as smells and objects can trigger memories that create psychological stress and cause an individual to feel as though they have lost control which may lead to relapse.
Current research into drug and alcohol addiction has shown the effects of long-term drug use result in substantial changes of the user’s brain. These effects have been shown to last long after they have stopped using drugs. Keeping this fact in mind, it is not surprising that it takes more than just sheer willpower and self-control to for an addict to remain drug free. Each day is a battle for them to remain sober when confronted with cravings for drugs or alcohol, re-stimulation from their environment, pressure from those around them, as well as changes to the way their brain functions. Entering a drug rehab program helps them to not only detox from the drug but also learn tools to conquer the many obstacles they face daily on their road to drug addiction recovery.
|
