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by CrashTestAddict

Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

The Causes of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

 

A different school of thought argues that the problem of addiction is a dual one, which comprises a mental and physical dependency on chemicals. The issue is further compounded by a pre-existing mental disorder that has to be treated in the first instance due to the fact that it is the primary cause.

 

Some people hold a different position, believing that dependency on a drug causes a ‘chemical imbalance’ in the neurological system. Accordingly, it must be treated psychotropic medication once the individual has gone through withdrawal.

 

The number of theories that exist about addiction and the cause of it shows that none of the scientific research can be deemed definitive. Based of average national figures, treatment for addiction leads to a 16% – 20% recovery rate, which shows that the theories are just that, theories. Accordingly, much more research needs to be undertaken to raise the national recovery rate to make it more impressive.

 

Out of the many, there is one theory that has proven to be the most accurate, which relates to the cycle of an addiction. The data that comes from the study can be universally applied despite the thought process used to explain the dependency on the substance. The addiction cycle usually commences with some type of issue or discomfort, such as a physical or emotional paint hat the individual finds difficult to deal with.

 

These problems can take many forms, such as severe shyness, physical injury like a broken bone or some other chronic physical condition. A persistent problem can be difficult for an individual to deal with, which can seem so intense that no relief can be found. Many of us will have some experience of this type of problem. Some individuals will find relief in using drugs or alcohol, despite the feeling only being temporary, which will become a solution to the problems suffered. This can be the reason why people return to drink or drugs again and again.

 

When an individual begins on this path of addiction, they will suffer physical, mental and lifestyle changes that causes negativity in their life. The continued use of drugs or alcohol will be ruinous if it goes unchecked. At any point that the individual is sober, they feel so miserable and depressed that they can do nothing else but numb the pain. This downward spiral of addiction can only result in three outcomes: sobriety, prison or death.

Drug-Addiction

Short video on heroin addiction. Produced by Friedkin Digital for Wiley & Sons, Inc. Part of a companion series for a university level textbook, “Abnormal Psychology” 11th edition by authors Ann M. Kring, Sheri L. Johnson, Gerald C. Davison, & John M. Neale. Additional footage courtesy of Greg Scott Sawbuck Productions DePaul University …dedicated to the memory of his sister, Julie. © Copyright 2009
Video Rating: 4 / 5

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by colodio

Finding Drug Addiction Help

You will find that with the Internet and the right tools, this search can become less time consuming and it will allow you to find someone who is there to answer all of your questions just with a simple click of the mouse.

For drug addiction help, you can find many private facilities willing to help you or a loved one but you can also find government-funded agencies offering the same care for those who are low on funds and unable to pay for the care themselves. You may find that a government-funded facility has a long waiting list but that doesn’t mean you or your loved one can’t get the help you need.

Many government-funded agencies do not have the funds to support long-term stays so it is very important to find out the facts before entering. A detox and hot meal for three days may not be enough for a true addict to get over his problem so great consideration must be taken when checking out these facilities. If you need the help and can not afford the care, it is best to find the facility that offers the most care with little to no harm to your wallet.

Drug Addiction Help That Works

If you’re looking for drug addiction help that will ensure your success, it is important to find one that has a high success rate. If you can afford the care, it takes a small amount of research on your end to make sure it is the care you need and deserve. Addiction is not just a physical one; it can be psychological so it is important to find a facility that will deal with both ends of this issue.

Each facility should have a pamphlet or brochure that outlines the care in detail. This will allow you to bring the packet home and compare services. Another way to find a good facility is to ask around. Friends and neighbors can be a great resource and should be taken advantage of. You will know just how good the program is by seeing the reaction of a former addict who attended. Of course, there are outside influences but a program can only be as good as its weakest patient at times.

The decision for the facility where you can get drug addiction help should not be based on cost but on what you will get from attending. You will probably be able to make a payment plan with the right facility so you should first judge them each on an individual basis and move on from there.

Drug-Addiction

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by Todd Huffman

How Does Alcoholism and Drug Addiction Affect a Person?

There is another school of thought that the addiction is due to a mental disorder and causes physical dependency. The mental disorder must be treated first in order for any treatment plan to work properly.

One more argument is that the alcoholism and drug addiction is due to chemical imbalance. With this belief, it is thought that the addiction must be treated with some sort of medication after detox has been completed.

Scientific studies support each concept but there are no full answers and the fact remains there are millions of alcoholics and drug addicts still out there. When someone goes through the treatment process, his chances of staying clean can range between 16% and 20%. If we want recovery rates to rise, we have to come up with some sort of treatment that will make this happen.

The last thought on addiction is that the alcoholism and drug addiction problem probably has something to do with the life cycle of addiction, which means there is some trauma suffered at one time or another or a painful experience an addict can’t seem to get through without the use of some sort of chemical.

An example of this reason for addiction would be the person who can’t seem to fit in with others, a painful condition either physical or mental, or a person who may be dealing with another real or imagined problem. The alcoholic or addict may feel there is no other way out of the situation and the addiction begins. The first drink loosens him up and then the numbness sets in and the addict begins the downward spiral.

The relief that an addict may feel is only temporary but it is enough to get the addict over the pain. The feelings that are suppressed by the drink or the drug are something that the addict would rather feel so the continued drinking is never about pleasure; it is always a form of self medication that leads him down a road where returning is that hardest step ever taken.

Effects of Alcoholism and Drug Addiction

The quality of life for this individual will gradually begin to decrease and the addiction will start to be a way to hide from the facts. Each and every moment an addict feels the pain of life, he will choose to take a drink or get high so he can avoid the pain. Alcoholism and drug addiction becomes a vicious cycle from which there seems no return. There are usually only three outcomes: sobriety, prison, and the worst case scenario — death.

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by City of Edmonton

Disastrous Effects of Drug Addiction Call for Rapid Family Intervention

Every day of every year, families in every state grapple with the drug problems of one or more of their members. Distraught parents, children or siblings appeal to the drug or alcohol user to please cease their excessive substance abuse without understanding that when substance abuse has progressed to addiction, most addicts need rehabilitation before they can quit. That is true no matter how much they promise they will end their drug or alcohol use. When a person is addicted, the addiction controls them rather than their controlling the addiction.

The slide into addiction very often has a consistent pattern, person to person. Problems at work, problems paying bills, unexplained loss of money; if the person has taken to dealing drugs to support their habit, unexplained cash. Missed family events, falling grades in school, secretive or accusative behavior are all common symptoms of the descent into addiction.

But these events are mild in comparison to what lies ahead when a person completes his or her full descent into addiction.

Drug or alcohol addiction commonly results in manipulative, abusive or criminal behavior; suicide; homelessness; overdoses leading to hospitalization or death. Addiction is frequently accompanied by serious or incurable health conditions: HIV, Hepatitis C, herpes, heart disorders, loss of teeth, abscesses, staph infections, liver disease and much more. Then there’s the constant threat of incarceration. The average sentence for drug felonies in 2004 was 51 months.

“Families often call or email us wondering what they should do to help someone they love who is addicted,” stated said Derry Hallmark, Director of Admissions and Certified Chemical Dependency Counselor at Narconon Arrowhead. Narconon Arrowhead is one of the country’s leading drug and alcohol rehabilitation centers, located in Canadian, Oklahoma. “Unfortunately, many families try to help the addict by bailing them out of jail, helping them pay their bills or find a new job. The right thing to do is to help the addict learn to live completely drug-free by getting them into an effective rehabilitation program.”

Rather than substitute an addictive medication for an illicit drug problem, the Narconon drug and alcohol rehabilitation program uses nutrition, one-on-one counseling and life skills training to help a person resolve the real reasons they started using drugs in the first place. The result is that 70 percent of Narconon graduates remain drug-free after graduation.

“Not every drug addict is ready to ask for help with the family wants them to,” added Mr. Hallmark. “That’s why Narconon works with experienced interventionists around the country. These people are experienced at helping addicted people make their own decision to stop the pain and loss by getting help. That decision is really the first step in rehabilitation.”

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