Drug addiction is a common thing. About one in ten Americans have resolved an addiction-based problem. There are many causes of addiction, and many ways to get out of it. However, when you’re in the throes of addiction, it can feel like there’s no way out.
The barrage of information and advice out there for those suffering from addiction can be overwhelming. Who are you supposed to listen to? Who are you supposed to trust? If you want to get drug addiction treatment, you’re going to need to tune out most of those voices and focus moment to moment on how you’re going to get better. But how do you do that?
If you’re asking this question, you’ve found the right article. Keep reading for a helpful guide on how to overcome addiction. This article will walk you through how to identify the problem, how to seek support, and let you know what different treatments there are for you.
Identify the Problem
Figure out what’s causing you to stay in the mind frame that traps you within addiction. You cannot find the solution without identifying the cause first.
If you started using drugs to cope with stress, it might be useful to seek a treatment that you can remove you from a stressful environment. If you have issues with family, you should consider getting away from them for a while. The same is true of a friend group that helps to feed your addiction.
If your addiction is linked to mental health problems (which is very common), it would do you wonders to get treatment for your mental health issue as well as your addiction. The issues are linked intersectionally, and treating one will help you treat the other.
Your addiction may have been passed down from a parent or a family member. It’s important to remember that even if you’re in a long chain of addiction, you can still break free. The situation is never hopeless.
Identifying these problems won’t solve your addiction in the short term, but long term it means that whatever addiction treatment you go with is more likely to stick.
Seek Support
After you’ve identified all of your problems, you might not quite be ready to seek treatment. That’s alright, everybody encounters these things in their own time.
However, you should seek support as soon as you can. If you’re addicted to alcohol, Alcoholics Anonymous is an effective and easy-to-find supportive group you can attend. If you’re addicted to narcotics, Narcotics Anonymous is an option.
There are many forums online you can post it. Reddit, for example, has many subreddits devoted to addiction. When someone posts something negative on Reddit, other people generally downvote it, and when it gets downvoted a certain amount of times that person gets removed; that way it ensures you won’t get any bad advice.
If you have any friends/family members who have kicked addictions, or generally live a clean and sober life, now is a good time to reach out to them. More than likely they’ll be willing to share their tips. They might even be able to give you a place to eat and sleep for a bit if you need to get out of a bad situation.
Treatment
At a certain point, it’s time to get treatment. However, treatment is a spectrum, not one solution. Do some research into the type of treatment that you think will suit you best.
Detox
If your addiction is truly out of control, detox is your best first option. It’s a process by which you’re medically supervised while your body is purged of the drug you’re addicted to.
More likely than not, your body has developed a physical dependence to said drug. This means that when it’s out of your body, your body will think there’s something wrong. It’ll protest, and you’ll get sick.
Detox programs provide you medical supervision so that you can easily handle any side effects and prevent relapse. This is especially important if you’re addicted to alcohol. Delirium Tremens is an extremely dangerous occasional side effect of alcohol withdrawal, and it can be fatal if not medically supervised.
Outpatient Program
Some people suffering from addiction choose to go to an outpatient program. If you think you have your addiction under control enough to get yourself to therapy every day, and won’t start using again, this is for you. Outpatient programs are generally cheaper and allow you to continue your normal life.
Inpatient Program
An inpatient program means, in essence, that you’re hospitalized for your addiction. If you don’t think you can trust yourself to stay off the drug you’re addicted to, or don’t think you can get yourself to therapy every day, this is a good option for you. It’s a big commitment, however — it costs more money, and means you won’t be able to contact the outside world.
Partial Hospitalization
Another option is a partial hospitalization program. If you’re suffering from a recurring disorder or a mental health problem in addition to your addiction, this could be the option for you. If you want and think you can handle the responsibility of staying home in the evening but don’t think you can be trusted during the day, this could be the option for you.
Intensive Outpatient Program
If your doctor doesn’t think you need detox and doesn’t think you need to be hospitalized, you might wind up in an intensive outpatient program. This provides you with 9-12 hours of therapy a week — more than the normal amount, but still with enough free time to go about your normal life.
Find Treatment For Your Drug Addiction
If you’re suffering from drug addiction, you’re certainly not alone. However, you might not be aware of all of the ways in which you can help yourself. It’s not all about AA and other self-help programs.
Make sure you address the issues going on inside of you, find support, and find yourself a good detox, outpatient, inpatient, partial hospitalization, or intensive outpatient program, and you’re far more likely to recover with ease.
For more information, contact us today.
Sana Lake Recovery Center is a Joint Commission Accredited addiction treatment program. We offer a safe and trustworthy facility for people struggling with substance abuse.
