March 17, 2015
Debunking the Common Misconceptions About Drug Addiction
Believe it or not, there are still a lot of individuals who have no idea what it means to be addicted to a substance. Though there are an increasing number of individuals becoming addicted to drugs on the daily basis, there are still a lot of misconceptions out there – some of which could prevent the average drug abuser from getting help or even make them feel worse about themselves.
Whether you suffer from addiction yourself or you know
someone who is suffering from drug addiction, having a full understanding of what the illness is, and how it affects the addict physically and mentally can make getting help and support a lot easier.
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1. A Drug Addict Can Quit at Any Time
Rehab International points out that one of the most common misconceptions is that someone suffering from drug addiction can stop using at any time they please. In essence, there is a common belief that someone who is an addict essentially chose to be that way.
Unfortunately this is not the case. While a person can stop using drugs if they’re a social user, it is not always easy to go cold turkey once you’ve become addicted to the substance. The body begins to feel as if it requires the chemicals from the drugs to sustain some sense of normalcy. In fact, those who are seriously addicted to drugs that try to go cold turkey face serious health risks.
2. Drug Addiction is Not a Disease (It’s a Matter of Willpower)
There are still some people who fail to view
drug addiction as an illness. Many believe that using drugs is a choice and quitting the habit is nothing more than having the willpower to change. On the contrary, addiction is in fact a disease that affects the brain. The chemicals found in drugs that get users “high” in a sense “trick” the brain into feeling great pleasure (despite what the individual might actually be feeling). As such, the user begins to user more of the drugs to feel that level of pleasure.
Over time, they develop a tolerance to the substances causing them to use stronger doses or stronger drugs in general to reach the same high. This is when addiction kicks in, and at this point, it is outside of the individual’s control to stop on their own.
3. Once You Detox You Can Stop Using
Those who suffer from addiction and try to recover on their own believe that there’s nothing more to treating addiction than going through detox. However, detox is only the beginning of drug addiction treatment. In order to fully recover from an addiction of any kind, the individual will need to not only refrain from using the substances, but will also need to get therapy to determine why they used (and how not to use again). This is why most medical professionals will recommend that their patients seek assistance from a drug rehab facility.
4. So and So Was Sober After Going to a Meeting, Why Aren’t You?
More often than not individuals assume that those suffering from drug addiction can all be treated the same way. Maybe they themselves (or someone they know) suffered an addiction and got treated through outpatient services such as group meetings and individual therapy. Unfortunately this will not be the case for everyone who suffers from drug addiction. There is no one size fits all treatment option, and what worked for one addict may not be the solution for another one. Just as everyone starts using drugs for different reasons, everyone has a different approach to getting treated and living a sober life.
This is just the surface of the many misconceptions there are out there about drug addiction. From the outside looking in, it may seem as if drug addiction is nothing more than a choice that can be controlled by the addict. However, with in depth research and comprehension, you will surely find that once a person has reached addiction, getting back to
happy days is often an uphill battle that requires the support and guidance of friends, family members, and medical professionals.
