Life tends to throw a curveball at some point, forcing us to think long and hard about proceeding forward. While some people don’t lose hope but gear up to take on every roadblock, others seek an easy way. One of the easy ways people choose is drug addiction, hey land up in either inpatient or outpatient drug rehab.
Addicts might consider drugs as an escape strategy; however, they change the individual’s ability to face the realities of life at physical and psychological levels.
So the question arises why do drug addicts look for an escape from reality? Often, many people struggle with emotional distress or mental health condition, but instead of seeking professional help, they find drugs convenient to tackle all sorts of emotions.
Due to its calming property, addicts believe that drugs are a far better option to find quick relief. With time, as the body builds up a tolerance, drug users become dependent immediately, thus leading to addiction.
Also, one of the main reasons most people, especially young adults, become drug addicts is due to stress, and the modern world today is undoubtedly filled with stressors.
Most drug abusers don’t know that while it may give them a temporary escape route, they are one step closer to running their lives every day.
However, a drug addict always has a choice to make a wise decision which means choosing the road to recovery and healthy life. So, if someone wants to change their life for the better, here is a guide to treatment options available. For help with drug addiction treatment, visit The Hader Clinic
- Detoxification
The first step is to safely withdraw addicts from the drugs until the substance is no longer present in the system. Detoxification helps individuals recover from moderate to severe addiction.
Drug detoxification is a natural process; however, a professional drug detox program incorporates a set of interventions that include using medications and a therapist to manage the side effects safely.
Detoxification of any drug is recommended to be done in a rehab center. If it’s not done with the help of trained professionals, counselors, and around a network of people who are going through the same process, the probability of relapse is quite high. This is especially true in the case of alcohol treatment where the patients are more likely to be in the presence of their old social circles, the same social circles that encouraged them into drinking in the first place.
Since withdrawal symptoms tend to be life-threatening, the benefit of starting with detoxification is that it minimizes the adverse effects of withdrawal symptoms.
Drug addicts, in some cases, attempt to detox on their own, which is unsuccessful. That is why detoxification is medically assisted or done under the supervision of trained therapists. Typically, a detox process usually lasts from 7 to 10 days.
- Sober Living Homes
A sober living home is an excellent option for those who need additional time reinforcing habits learned during rehab. Recovering addicts can strengthen newly formed healthy habits while living in a monitored environment.
Unlike inpatient rehab centers, sober living homes are not allowed to confine residents; they may come and go as they please.
However, rules and regulations are mandatory for the residents to follow, and most significantly, attending a group meeting is also compulsory.
The key benefit of spending time at sober living homes is that it gives plenty of room for friendships to bloom, which helps addicts abstain from indulging in bad habits. This friendship also plays a crucial role in preventing individuals’ loneliness or isolation.
Sober living homes reflect what it would be like to return to everyday life, and, most importantly, it teaches how to get back into society.
It helps them mend broken relationships with friends or families, find a job, and adjust to the daily routine.
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
Recovering drug addicts are constant victims of negative thoughts likely to compel them to return to old habits.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy is an effective tool that helps addicts address these notions and make sense of their feelings. The therapy focuses on eradicating beliefs associated with the urge to use drugs.
The impulse mainly arises from the misconceptions and the fears of a drug addict. Depression and anxiety are co-occurring conditions with addiction that make an addict more eager to abuse drugs.
The therapist help drug abusers identify negative feelings and highlight triggers causing these emotions. When drug addicts understand how they feel, it helps them better-overcome addiction.
- Medications
Medication is recommended as a part of inpatient or outpatient rehab programs. Prescribed medicine is used for tackling withdrawal symptoms. Doctors will not prescribe only one medicine; different medications treat different withdrawal symptoms.
Benzodiazepines are used to overcome anxiety, a common withdrawal symptom every recovering addict experiences. This medicine has a sedative effect that reduces restlessness in a drug addict.
Due to the addictive tendency, these are recommended in a required dose to achieve the desired response.
Unless addicts continue using drugs, the brains of drug addicts cannot produce happiness-inducing chemicals.
These individuals are likely to experience depression because they rely on drugs as a source of happiness, and since drugs are no longer in the system, they will experience mood swings.
Zoloft or Prozac helps alleviate feelings of depression until the brain can produce dopamine and serotonin.
- Narcotics Anonymous
Similar to alcohol anonymous, narcotic anonymous is a support group for individuals recovering from drug addiction. Members find the support they need to avoid going back to old habits.
Recovering individuals are likely to be intimidated by seeing so many people, but it is essential to remember that every addict has to go through the process to get better.
Meetings are either in a group where everyone shares their journey or speaker meetings where a few members share their story with the rest.
People who want to overcome addiction and choose a better life for themselves and their loved ones become a part of Narcotics Anonymous.
Medication is recommended as a part of inpatient or outpatient rehab programs. This is also included in the rehab centers that offer virtual consultations and treatments like online suboxone clinic specifically for people with substance abuse disorder like opioid.
Conclusion
There is no single answer to why do people become addicted to drugs. It is pretty challenging to explain addiction. On the outside, it may seem like addiction is a wrong choice that could have been easily avoided by saying no or the outcome of addicts giving up.
None of this is true; drug addiction cannot be treated overnight, or it’s not like a bad habit that an individual might immediately give up.
Overcoming addiction requires patience and the willingness to return to healthy life regardless of the hurdles.
With the help of various treatment options, from detoxification to medications, undoubtedly, an individual can recover and build a better life.