Addiction is a word that is often overused to describe a thought or action regarding something you enjoy. “I am so addicted to this television program that I can’t wait for it to come out each week,” or similar comments are made as casually as a person saying “hello.”
However, real addiction is something that is very serious. Addictions change lives. People who were once active, social, and otherwise functioning in society find themselves spiraling out of control. Their focus shifts from functioning in their everyday lives to finding their next “fix.” Everything changes, and it is never for the better.
Sadly, many people are not even aware that their substance abuse has taken on the form of a full addiction. They believe that they are in control of using their preferred substance and that they can stop at any time. Many believe that “as soon as this crisis is over, I will quit.” In reality, addiction cannot stop without intervention and help.
If you believe that you may have an addiction, or you think that your loved one may be suffering from an addiction, ask yourself the following questions. The answers may surprise you.
- Do you feel as if you need to continue to use the substance, regardless of the strains and problems that it is causing in your personal and professional life?
- Have you found that you place yourself at risk or in risky situations to obtain more of the substance?
- Have you built a tolerance to the substance and now find that you need to use more or use it more often to get the same effects?
- Have you tried to decrease using the substance on your own unsuccessfully?
- When you are experiencing the effects of the substance, do you find yourself wanting more or unable to control how much more you use?
- Do you experience withdrawal and anxiety when you cannot use the substance?
- Do you find yourself changing how you handle family, business, and social responsibilities so that you can have access to the substance instead?
- Do you spend an excessive amount of time finding, using, and recovering from this substance each day?
- Is your health declining from the use of the substance, yet you continue to use it anyway?
If you have answered yes to one or more of these questions, chances are you have an addiction.
Thankfully, addictions can be overcome with the right help from a qualified .
The Many Benefits of an Addiction Recovery Center
Addiction is something that you should not have to face alone. Addiction is something that is more than physical dependency. Having an addiction will affect you emotionally. To complicate matters, the physical and emotional issues that come with addiction can be multi-layered.
Someone with an addiction may feel as if they can address all of these issues on their own. A few people may even be successful in approaching their recovery this way. But a majority of people need extra help from a professional addiction recovery center to get the best results.
There is hope for addiction.
Why does using an addiction treatment center for help in fighting addiction help work better than doing it alone? Because it means you are not alone. You do not have to overcome the physical and emotional dependency on any substance on your own. You do not have to figure out the issues leading to and causing your addiction on your own. You do not have to figure out how to move forward on your own. Whether you are looking for treatment for alcohol abuse, prescription drug treatment such as opioids or are in need of detox, you will have support and help.
Everyone needs support and help, regardless of the situation that they are facing in life. Having someone with you on your journey to recovery eases the stress and helps you become more positive about yourself and your future.
Having a non-judgmental and compassionate substance abuse counselor to help you through the stages of recovery will give you the strength and courage you need to overcome your addiction. It is a positive way to manage addiction and build the confidence you need to live a substance-free life in the future.
Addictions Are a Medical Condition
In the past, substance addictions were treated as a behavioral problem or even as a lack of morals. Thankfully, the medical community has progressed past such misunderstanding and acknowledges that addiction is a real medical problem with physical and emotional symptoms and stages.
Knowing that having a substance abuse problem is not something that you should be ashamed of, but instead is a medical condition that you can have treated, should feel encouraging. You do not have to suffer from addiction forever; you simply just need to seek treatment.
If you believe that you or your loved one is struggling with addiction, the time to act is now. Every day that you do not address the addiction can put you or your loved one’s life at risk. There are local drug rehabs that can help. We encourage you to see what our amazing facility can offer so that you can begin your journey to recovery.
