Who Suffers from Addiction?

Although many might like to think that addiction only effects those who have nothing, but it's become clear in recent years that even those who have it all can suffer.

Effects of Addiction

Addiction is a progressive disease that causes physical and psychological dependence. The effects of addiction on any individual can cause dangerous, abnormal, and reckless behavior just to get the substance of addiction.

How it Works
The dependence on a substance causes the addict to be unable to feel "normal" without it, making the need for the substance overwhelmingly strong. Did you know that an estimated 90% of property crimes and muggings are drug related?
The need for the drug of addiction is so strong in addicts, they will do things they would otherwise never consider. The truth is that even though they are committing violations of their own morality, none of them want to do what they are doing, but it's what they have to do to get the drug they feel they desperately need.

Why not just stop?
If it were as easy as deciding to stop and having addiction be over, no one would need drug rehab and alcohol rehabilitation.

Causes of Addiction

There does not seem to be one definitive answer to the question of what causes addiction, but there are several proven theories.

Genetics - Research has found links between genes and a predisposition to addiction.

Naivety - It can begin as casual experimentation, a medical prescription, or social pressure, but without the knowledge of the dangers of certain drugs, repetition can quickly lead to addiction.

Feeling Better - If a drug makes us feel more comfortable, more relaxed, stronger, more confident, human nature insists that we seek to feel that higher feeling again, despite the dangers of addiction.

Signs and Symptoms of Addiction

Along with the numerous physical signs of addiction, the one dead giveaway is almost always behavior. Different drugs have different physical effects on each individual and it is important to know the real signs from the stigmatized signs. For example, not all crack/cocaine addicts are skinny and unkept. A sign to look for in someone suspected of abusing these drugs is in their pupils being abnormally dilated.

Not all heroin addicts have track marks on their arm and are incapable of normal, everyday activities. A sign to check for in heroin or any opiate addict is again, in their eyes. Look for extremely constricted pupils. They will be as small as a pin (thus the expression "pinned").

Some of the behavioral changes from drug addiction are increased isolation, poor performance at work or school, drastic attitude changes that may mimic bipolar disorder, and a change of friends and associates.

Understanding Addiction

Addiction is a dangerous and insidious disease in the fact that it not only effects the addict, but everyone around him or her. Families and loved ones bear the heaviest burden as they watch a loved one slip into depths of addiction and bizarre behavior they cannot understand.

In order to understand an addict, it is important to understand addiction and it's effects on the addict. Addiction is dependence and addicts need their drug just as others need food and water. Imagine what lengths you might go to in order to survive - have water when you haven't had any in weeks. That same desperation is what an addict feels to be able to get the next fix. It may seem inconceivable, but that demonstrates the power and insanity of addiction. Absolutely nothing is more important than he drug of dependence.

When considering an addict, think of that person as having dual personalities. In the grip of addiction, an individual is not thinking like a rational sober person, but rather a desperate, compulsive addict.

Addressing Addiction

One of the hardest things for an addict to do is address his or her addiction. Doing this is like confronting someone who has been their best friend and been there through the hard times, but has been stealing from them throughout their relationship. Many addicts will admit that drugs have been their best friends, their girlfriends and boyfriends when no one else was there. The relationship between an addict and his or her drug is a complicated love-hate obsession. Super high highs and devastatingly low lows dominate the details of this relationship.

The complication of the relationship between an addict and their drug serves as a deterrent to addressing addiction because the euphoria of the highs outweigh the desperation of the lows. This is why it is said that addicts have to hit rock bottom - a low that is more extreme than any high the addict could experience.

Rehab for Drug Addiction

Once an addict finally makes the decision to change his or her life and try to live free of drugs and alcohol, the first step is to get into a drug rehab that will be most effective for the addict to stay committed to sobriety by providing tools and resources to help the addict cope with everyday life, stress, and triggers.

It is important to know about options for drug rehab before making a decision. Drug rehab offers a plethora of methodologies, one of which may be perfect for any given situation.

Some examples of drug rehab methodologies are...

• 12-step
• Holistic
• Alternative
• Faith Based
• Gender Specific
• Adolescent

Recovery from Addiction

After addressing addiction, deciding to get help, and going through drug rehab, addicts finally reach the point when they are in recovery. The truth is that an addict is not out of danger just because they are in recovery. It is for this reason that there is so much help and support for addicts in recovery from drug addiction.

Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are jsut a couple of the many support groups available for drug addicts and alcoholics in recovery. Many drug rehab programs also have aftercare programs that provide care, meetings, and outpatient counseling for addicts once they have completed their drug rehab program.

It is important to know that relapse is considered to be a part of recovery and is very likely, especially earlier in the process. Addicts have to work for the rest of their lives to remain sober and it should never be assumed that the work is complete.