Facing Drug and Alcohol Addiction

One of the hardest things for an addict to do is admit they have a problem. It is easier for them to believe they’re using drugs or alcohol just because they like the way it makes them feel. They tell themselves that they and can quit anytime and label their use recreational. Many addicts avoid asking the question – “Can I stop?” They don’t want to take a closer look at their using habits because that could reveal some very frightening truths.

The sad reality about drug or alcohol addiction is that eventually, for most users, it completely consumes them. They reach a point where they are no longer in control of the drugs but the need for drugs is controlling them. Their lives become centered on their habit and everything else – their health, their work, their friends and family, all becomes secondary to getting their next drink or fix. By the time they start wishing they could take a break from using for a few weeks, days, or even hours it's often too late and they can’t stop. The old anti-drug campaign comes to mind, “Nobody wants to be a drug addict when they grow up.” However, it does happens and to many, many people.

If an addict starts to wonder if they are addicted, it is the first step towards healing. When they can put aside their compulsion and start to question, there is reason to hope for recovery. A true addict can almost never fight their addiction on their own. Achieving sobriety and a drug-free life requires support through either drug treatment or rehab treatment. First an addict needs to go through drug detox or alcohol detox and cleanse their body of the substance. Their system needs to be clean from drugs or alcohol and restored to good health. As part of their rehabilitation program, many residential treatment facilities include nutrition, exercise, and positive sleeping habits to heal the addict and teach them normal, healthy behavior.

The next steps are often harder and involve cleaning the desire for drugs or alcohol from the addict’s mind. The psychological aspects to addiction are often the hardest to fight. People can go years with sobriety and find themselves falling into a bad habit again due to exposure to a drug “trigger.” This is why it’s important for recovering addicts to remember they have a problem and stay in touch with recovery and support groups like Narcotics Anonymous or Alcoholics Anonymous. Addicts will always be just a drink or hit away from full-blown addiction for the rest of their lives. They need to accept that it’s part of their personal history, be proud that it’s no longer their identity, and celebrate all they’ve done to regain their lives.