Drug and alcohol addiction is a serious disease that can have a truly ruinous effect on those who suffer from it. When a person is addicted to drugs and alcohol, their entire lives are affected. Addiction robs an addict of the ability to perform important life functions like maintaining a job, keeping track of finances, and, perhaps even more devastatingly, it can often ruin vital relationships. Often, a person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol will behave in ways that make them essentially unrecognizable to friends and family members. This may lead to what can only be described as a spiral of shame and frustration.
A person who is addicted to drugs or alcohol may very well be aware that their life is in severe disarray but feel powerless to do anything about it. They may feel angry or depressed or feel that they have no means of reclaiming control of their life. A person who is addicted does not have to feel that they cannot get better. In fact, treatment offers a whole new shot at life for many addicts who struggle with the crippling disease of addiction.
A Chance to Detox Safely
Many addicts who have realized that they have a problem may have tried to stop using on their own. This may be because they have the desire to stop using and believe that that is enough to help them work through the uncomfortable and often dangerous process of detoxing from drugs or alcohol. Detoxing without professional support, however, is not a good idea. Firstly, many substances are dangerous to detoxify from without medical support. Alcohol withdrawal, for example, may lead to serious side effects that can include tremors, hallucinations, and even seizures.
When a person attempts to suddenly stop using alcohol on their own, they put themselves at a major risk for any of these side effects. It can also be extremely difficult to detox without professional help because of the degree of severity of withdrawal. Often, a person who is withdrawing from drugs or alcohol will succumb to the temptation to use simply because of how uncomfortable withdrawal symptoms are. In a treatment facility, substances are simply not available and a recovering addict can detox with the support they need.
Tools For Growth and Rebuilding
Once a recovering addict has detoxed, they can begin to gain the tools that will help them work through the obstacles; big or small; in their life without the use of drugs or alcohol. All addicts are subject to “triggers,” or people, places, or emotions that drive them to use. Triggers can vary quite a bit but may include things like stress from a job, anger from a bad relationship, or simply being in the company of another addict.
In treatment, a recovering addict has a chance to get some space from many of these triggers and use this time as a way of finding peace and clarity so that they may begin to find ways of coping with emotions like anger or sadness without using drugs or alcohol.
Therapy to Find Solutions
In treatment, an addict works in individual and often group therapy to identify and work through many of the complex issues that may be related to their addiction. In therapy, an addict and their counselor may talk through deep seated issues that have lead to feelings like anger, fear, or low self worth which may, in turn, have been contributors to an addict’s addiction. With the right therapy, the deeper issues that may have long been masked by drugs or alcohol may be addressed so that the addict can begin to live a better life.