Statistics tell us that 40% to 60% of individuals with a substance use disorder will relapse. Those numbers are suitable in normal, everyday existence, but the COVID-19 pandemic has injected unthinkable challenges.
Many times, friends or family wonder whether or not their loved one is suffering from just simply substance abuse, or if there is an underlying mental health issue. It can be very difficult to understand whether or not the mental health symptoms are caused from the substance abuse or vice versa. The truth is, either one may develop first, but the substance abuse can be the chosen form of self-medication.
The process of choosing a rehab facility is a crucial one that comes with several important factors to consider. To be fully committed to rehabilitation, you want to find a facility that offers everything you need to succeed in your recovery. Local treatment centers may seem convenient, but might not offer all the same benefits of going out of state.
Contrary to popular belief, addiction isn’t a character flaw. It is a chronic disease that develops when a person becomes psychologically or physically dependent on a drug. A person becomes addicted because drugs and alcohol change the way the brain works. This makes it hard for someone to stop using. There are a variety of factors that make an individual more likely to develop an addiction. Here are some of them.
There is no single road to recovery for someone with an addiction. Recovery is different from person to person, which is why there are so many different paths to sobriety. One thing is for certain — recovery takes commitment and patience.
If you are the spouse, sibling, parent or close friend of someone who is addicted to drugs or alcohol, it is important to understand the role you play in your loved one’s addiction recovery — and that role is to be part of the recovery process.
You’ve just accomplished a big goal — becoming sober. Now, it is time to return to work. You may have some ambivalence about going back to work. On one hand, working will help you feel like a productive member of society, take care of financial needs, and get back into a routine. On the other hand, your co-workers will likely ask where you have been. You might worry about being fired if people find out that you took leave for addiction treatment. You’ll also probably face triggers in the workplace that could lead to a relapse. How do you deal with these challenges? Here are some tips.
After you or a loved one has agreed to get help for drug addiction — the first major step to overcoming it — it is time to decide where to seek treatment. There are numerous options, and thinking about them can be overwhelming. Is a trip to the emergency room needed? Would self-help, the support of friends, or AA suffice? Outpatient services are a possibility. If inpatient treatment is the first place to go, perhaps driving the individual to a medical detox center is the first true step. Even if the individual is not high now, stabilization and medical evaluation are always needed. The best route to take depends on the type of addiction.
Choosing to pursue recovery from addiction issues can help you get your future back on track. Unfortunately, recovery is not an easy road to travel. In addition to dealing with the struggles of addiction, some people in recovery face social stigma, difficulty with employment, housing and more. If you or someone you love is a recovering addict, understanding your legal rights is the first step in protecting those rights.
In order to get individuals the help they need for an addiction, it is important to know exactly what type of drug or drugs they use. Just saying “illicit” or “recreational” or “prescription” isn’t enough; you must know the exact type of drug.