Drug Addiction And Recovery

Several emotional or psychological reasons may drive you into taking drugs. At times it is mere curiosity that propels you to develop an addiction to drugs over time. Drug addiction refers to the compulsive use of psychoactive drugs to such a level at which the user of drugs has no other way out and continues to use it.

Though addiction to drugs like opium have been common since historical times it is in recent times that the problem has been exacerbated significantly. This is mainly due to the cultivation of plants yielding drugs, advancements in biochemistry and improvements in means of getting access to drugs. The introduction of purified forms of active biological agents and the synthesis of new substances like methamphetamine has made drugs more widespread. Clinically, the word ‘addiction’ has been replaced by the word ‘dependency’ in relation to drugs.

It may be noted that not all persons are equally prone to addiction. Some persons are psychologically or genetically more predisposed to drug addiction. Again, some kinds of drugs get the better of some particular types of persons more easily. Similarly, the manner of treatment and method of recovery from addiction vary widely according to the types of drugs, amount of drugs, duration of drug addiction, medical complications and social necessities of the patient.

There is the 12-step program among the many recovery methods. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are prominent examples included herein. These are popularly used for a variety of addictions concerning the individual addicted and the family of the individual. Then there are the substance-abuse rehabilitation centers that frequently offer a residential treatment program for the seriously addicted and strive to isolate the drug addicts from other drug users and drug dealers.

The cognitive-behavior therapy, rational-emotive theory or other types of psychological behavior modification methods are employed in the treatment of drug addiction. Replacement drugs like methadone are also used. This methadone is in itself a drug but in order to reduce dependency on stronger drugs like opium it proves helpful. Acupuncture is also a treatment of choice that helps alleviate drug addiction symptoms.

Carrying out the suitable treatment from the various treatments available can bring about recovery from drug addiction. The object is to somehow bring about abstinence from the various addictive substances called drugs.

Drug Addiction – Chemical Dependency

Drug addiction or chemical dependency involves regular taking of psychoactive drugs to the point where the user does not have any effective choice with him. The addictive nature of drugs varies from substance to substance and from individual to individual. Often drugs like codeine and alcohol typically require more exposures to addict their users than drugs like heroin and cocaine, which create fast addiction.

Types of drugs

Drugs are something that affects your brain and behavior. Often people start taking drugs out of sheer curiosity but this proves to be dangerous.

Following are the types of drugs available in the market:

§Cocaine – a powerfully addictive hydrochloride salt stimulant.

§Ecstasy – an illegal drug often referred to LSD.

§Hallucinogens – drugs that lead to hallucination and severely affects body by disrupting the interaction of nerve cells and neurotransmitter serotonin.

§Heroine – a highly addictive drug processed from morphine and appears as white or brown sugar.

§Marijuana – is a greenish-gray mixture of the dried, stems, seeds, shredded leaves and flowers of Cannabis Sativa, the hemp plant.

§Methamphetamine – it is a white, odorless, bitter-tasting crystalline powder that dissolves in water or alcohol to form a powerfully addictive stimulant.

§Prescription drugs – prescription drugs include opioids, CNS depressants, stimulants that are prescribed to treat narcolepsy and obesity.

Signs of drug addiction

If you are wondering how to distinguish drug addiction from normal depression or mental problems, then here are the specific signs and symbols of drug addiction:

§Feeling that drugs should be taken regularly

§Feeling that you need drug to soothe your personal problems and depression

§Suddenly feeling a sense of relaxation and happiness, red eyes, difficulty in concentration, increasing blood pressure and heart rate, paranoid thinking, drowsiness and slurred speech.

The other symptoms common to all include memory impairment, slow breathing, confusion, decreased appetite, insomnia, restlessness and sudden weight loss.

Drug addiction treatments

So drug addiction involves compulsively seeking to use a drug, regardless of the potentially negative, social, physical and psychological consequences. Breaking a drug addiction is not impossible but it is certainly a difficult job. You should support your family; friends and relatives to come out of drug addiction either through psychological counseling or through drug addition treatments.
Following are the variety of drug addiction treatments:
§Withdrawal therapy – help you stop taking drugs by detoxifying the effects. The method includes gradually reducing the dose of the drug or temporarily substituting other substances such as methadone that has much less side effects.
§Counseling – this is more of a psychological treatment that suggest strategies to avoid drugs and prevent relapses, and also offering suggestions on how to deal with relapses if it occurs again.
§Self-help groups – it helps people associated with mild drugs like cocaine, sedatives and narcotics. You are given the disadvantages of drugs and their stimulating effects so you start taking less of it.
§Treatment programs – it includes educational and therapy sessions based on sobriety and preventing relapses.

Almost all these methods offer you instant and permanent recovery from drug addiction.