What You Should Know About Drug Addiction! in Atlanta, Georgia
Five Myths About Drug Addiction
Myth Number 1:
Overcoming addiction is just a matter of having a strong willpower and you can stop anytime if you truly want to.
A prolonged exposure to substances especially hard drugs can alter the brain in a lot of ways which would result to powerful cravings and a strong compulsion to use. Because the pattern of the brain changes, it would be extremely difficult for drug addicts to quit with just the sheer force of will.
Myth Number 2:
Addiction is a hopeless cause. It is a disease and you cant do anything about it anymore.
Most experts would agree that you can label drug addiction as a disease and it can affect the brain but it does not mean that an addict is a hopeless and helpless victim. There are many ways to treat and reverse the brain changes associated to addiction such as medication, exercise, therapy and other types of treatments.
Myth Number 3:
An addict needs to hit rock bottom first for him or her to get better.
This is actually entirely false. Recovery can begin as soon as one would submit themselves to a drug treatment center no matter where he or she is in the addiction process - the earlier it is, the better. If a drug abuse continues for a longer period of time, the addiction becomes stronger and this will make it harder for him or her to be treated. If you have a family that is experiencing troubles with drug abuse, do not wait until he or she has lost everything. Intervene immediately.
Myth Number 4:
You cant and should not force anyone into treatment - you should wait until they want help.
Treatment does not have to be entirely voluntary for it to be successful. There are addicts that have been pressured into treatment and they are as successful as those who have opted to enter therapy by themselves. An employer, family or the legal system can put anyone in a drug treatment center. As soon as he or she sobers up and thinks clearly, a formerly resistant addict would want to stay in the treatment center to further straighten their impulses.
Myth Number 5:
If treatment did not work the first time, there is no point trying to do it again.
Drug addiction recovery is not just a one time thing but a lifetime process and it would involve frequent setbacks. Relapse does not instantly mean that the treatment has failed and sobriety has become a lost cause. Instead, it has to be taken as a signal signifying that one has to get back on track with either a different treatment approach, going back to the previous treatment or adjusting to the current one.
Atlanta
Columbus
Augusta
Georgia
Drug Addiction: Signs and Symptoms
Different drugs have their distinct physical effects but the symptoms are more likely similar. Consider talking to anyone you think is capable of helping you if you recognize yourself with the signs and symptoms listed below.
* You are neglecting responsibilities at work, home or school i.e. flunking classing, neglecting your kids, skipping work just because of drug use.
* You are using drugs even on dangerous conditions or you take risks while high on drugs like having unprotected sex, using dirty needles, or driving under the influence.
* Your drug use have been getting you into trouble i.e. arrest for disorderly conduct, stealing to support the drug habit or driving under the influence.
* Your drug use has caused problems in all of your relationships i.e. fights with family members or your partner, loss of friends or an unhappy boss.
* You have built up a strong drug tolerance. Now, you need a more potent or much larger quantity of the drug to experience the effect you want to attain.
* You take drugs in order to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Once you go off drugs for too long, you would experience the following symptoms: insomnia, sweating, anxiety, shaking, restlessness, nausea and depression.
* You have lost complete control over your senses. If you experience craving or you catch yourself doing drugs more often than what you have planned even if you already told yourself you would not do it, you should immediately ask for help.
* When you want to stop the drug abuse but you feel completely powerless.
* Your life is now revolving around the drug use. You are spending an unhealthy amount of time thinking about drugs and using it. You are constantly figuring out how to get a hold of the drug and when to recover from its effects.
It is never too late to change. If you think you need someone to talk to regarding this matter, call your local addiction treatment center asap.
Atlanta, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia
Myth Number 1:
Overcoming addiction is just a matter of having a strong willpower and you can stop anytime if you truly want to.
A prolonged exposure to substances especially hard drugs can alter the brain in a lot of ways which would result to powerful cravings and a strong compulsion to use. Because the pattern of the brain changes, it would be extremely difficult for drug addicts to quit with just the sheer force of will.
Myth Number 2:
Addiction is a hopeless cause. It is a disease and you cant do anything about it anymore.
Most experts would agree that you can label drug addiction as a disease and it can affect the brain but it does not mean that an addict is a hopeless and helpless victim. There are many ways to treat and reverse the brain changes associated to addiction such as medication, exercise, therapy and other types of treatments.
Myth Number 3:
An addict needs to hit rock bottom first for him or her to get better.
This is actually entirely false. Recovery can begin as soon as one would submit themselves to a drug treatment center no matter where he or she is in the addiction process - the earlier it is, the better. If a drug abuse continues for a longer period of time, the addiction becomes stronger and this will make it harder for him or her to be treated. If you have a family that is experiencing troubles with drug abuse, do not wait until he or she has lost everything. Intervene immediately.
Myth Number 4:
You cant and should not force anyone into treatment - you should wait until they want help.
Treatment does not have to be entirely voluntary for it to be successful. There are addicts that have been pressured into treatment and they are as successful as those who have opted to enter therapy by themselves. An employer, family or the legal system can put anyone in a drug treatment center. As soon as he or she sobers up and thinks clearly, a formerly resistant addict would want to stay in the treatment center to further straighten their impulses.
Myth Number 5:
If treatment did not work the first time, there is no point trying to do it again.
Drug addiction recovery is not just a one time thing but a lifetime process and it would involve frequent setbacks. Relapse does not instantly mean that the treatment has failed and sobriety has become a lost cause. Instead, it has to be taken as a signal signifying that one has to get back on track with either a different treatment approach, going back to the previous treatment or adjusting to the current one.
Atlanta
Columbus
Augusta
Georgia
Drug Addiction: Signs and Symptoms
Different drugs have their distinct physical effects but the symptoms are more likely similar. Consider talking to anyone you think is capable of helping you if you recognize yourself with the signs and symptoms listed below.
* You are neglecting responsibilities at work, home or school i.e. flunking classing, neglecting your kids, skipping work just because of drug use.
* You are using drugs even on dangerous conditions or you take risks while high on drugs like having unprotected sex, using dirty needles, or driving under the influence.
* Your drug use have been getting you into trouble i.e. arrest for disorderly conduct, stealing to support the drug habit or driving under the influence.
* Your drug use has caused problems in all of your relationships i.e. fights with family members or your partner, loss of friends or an unhappy boss.
* You have built up a strong drug tolerance. Now, you need a more potent or much larger quantity of the drug to experience the effect you want to attain.
* You take drugs in order to relieve or avoid withdrawal symptoms. Once you go off drugs for too long, you would experience the following symptoms: insomnia, sweating, anxiety, shaking, restlessness, nausea and depression.
* You have lost complete control over your senses. If you experience craving or you catch yourself doing drugs more often than what you have planned even if you already told yourself you would not do it, you should immediately ask for help.
* When you want to stop the drug abuse but you feel completely powerless.
* Your life is now revolving around the drug use. You are spending an unhealthy amount of time thinking about drugs and using it. You are constantly figuring out how to get a hold of the drug and when to recover from its effects.
It is never too late to change. If you think you need someone to talk to regarding this matter, call your local addiction treatment center asap.
Atlanta, Georgia
Columbus, Georgia
Augusta, Georgia