Addiction is a serious affliction that is affecting more and more people as the years go by. The good news is that we are thankful, learning more about it, what causes it and how to treat it effectively. However, there may be a couple of things that you don’t know about substance abuse, and this is why we’re going to give you information that you need to know.
THE MOST ABUSED SUBSTANCE IS LEGAL
It’s very easy to get caught up in the sensationalism of the media and only focus on the illegal drugs, and so we wire our brain to see only those as enemy number one. While these drugs are just as dangerous and are a serious problem when it comes to substance abuse, it’s important that you know the most abused substance statistically is alcohol. Alcohol is legal and easily accessible, and can even be affordable for many, making it the most dangerous substance out there for people to abuse. It has taken many lives and ruined many more.
FINDING THE RIGHT TREATMENT COMES THROUGH TRIAL AND ERROR
Many people live with the misconception that there is one standard method of treatment, and that it is bound to be effective immediately. This couldn’t be farther from the truth. There are a number of approaches that different treatment centers take on, and it may take a couple of trials before the individual in question finds the best fit for them in terms of effective and long term recovery. People who live in Canada, for example, have rehab centers that offer different methods to pass through recovery successfully. If you want to learn more about this, then visit these experts who understand the details and the process of treatment to really understand what needs to be done. Being able to overcome addiction is no easy feat and requires patience and perseverance.
DRUGS MAKE CONSIDERABLE CHANGES TO THE BRAIN
It needs to be understood that the mind of an addict can actually be very different from yours in how they function and process thoughts and situations. While a normal person’s brain functions with standard everyday thoughts such as waking up in the morning to get breakfast and achieve success in their job or get through a day using a healthy lifestyle, the brain of an addict becomes rewired to think differently. Because any substance takes direct effect on the brain and the hormones as well, the body soon becomes dependent on it and the only thought in their mind is to be able to achieve the same feeling of elation that they had upon their first hit of the substance. So the concept of right and wrong, healthy and functional no longer become a part of that person’s thought process- all they want is a means to be able to have the substance in their system again, regularly to avoid the come-down and to chase the high.
GOING COLD TURKEY ISN’T THE ANSWER
We’ve believed for the longest time that cutting out the substance entirely, all of a sudden is the answer to an addicts recovery. This is incorrect, because the body becomes dependent on the presence of the substance in the blood and the brain reacts to it. And by taking it out of the system all of a sudden can only do more harm to the person than good- both on a physical and mental level that could very well be irreversible. This is why it’s important to have a professional take care of an addict because they know what kind of medication to put them on in order to get them off the drug gradually so that they are able to truly kick the habit entirely.
AN ADDICT DOESN’T ALWAYS LOOK LIKE ONE
We have preconceived images instilled into our minds on what a person abusing drugs looks like. While this is true for some, it does not apply to all addicts. There are many people who abuse substances and are functional to a certain degree. They know how to keep up appearances in a way where they are able to manipulate and fool people into thinking that they are alright. This is why you need to look out for more subtle changes that could be signs of a person abusing any kind of substance.
The world of addiction is a complex and detailed one, and it’s important that you always read more into what the symptoms are to really understand it. By using the facts that we’ve provided here, you’re one step closer to understanding the depths of substance abuse and how you can help those that may be suffering.
