Drug addiction is a disease that afflicts over 8 million Americans a year, excluding those affected by alcohol and tobacco. It is a chronic degenerative disease that inhibits an individuals ability to regulate their intake of and behaviors relating to the abused drug, despite the overwhelming health, financial and social problems it may cause them.
It is degenerative because drugs trap users in a fatal cycle. As they take the drug more regularly, increased amounts are needed to achieve the same effect, as the drug builds up tolerance in the body. This has the added effect of making long-term users of more potent drugs, like methanphetamines and cocaine, at a greater risk of overdosing. On the other hand, stopping the intake of the drug leads to withdrawal symptoms, as the body reacclimates as the drug leaves the body during the detox process. Additionally, drugs can alter the brain chemistry of long term users, leading to decreased mental funtion, making them unable to achieve sobirety on their own, without the help of professionals or a treatment center, like drug rehab Austin.
Drug addiction is preventable with the right resources and education. However, long-term sobriety is difficult to achieve, as overcoming drug addiction does not merely include the removal of a substance from the body and overcoming symptoms at a facility, but also aims to replace harmful behaviors with healthy coping mechanisms when patients are faced with triggers when they leave their treatment facilities. It is for this reason that therapy plays a huge role in preparing clients for long term success.
So far, most treatment facilities, such as drug detox austin, offer a mix of theraputic approaches to treatment but the field has been dominated by psychotherapy, which aims at analyzing a persons past and present experiences and behaviors, and cognitive behavioral therapy, which looks at identifying particular triggers and behaviors associated with addictions. There are, however, benefits to being aware of alternative therapeutic options as the best treatment model is one that is personalized to the patient.
The 12 Step Model
This model, made infamous by its use in the Alcoholic Anonymous program, finds its roots in the Disease Model of Addiction. This postulates that addiction is a biological disease, agitated by a patients enviroment. This aims at convincing the patient that they are powerless over their addiction and that faith in a power greater than themselves, alongside the renouncing of their old behaviors and lifestyle, will help them achieve sobriety.
SMART recovery
This is a less holistic treatment approach that emphasizes personal responsibility on the part of the user. It encourages the user to overcome their disease through self reliance and self empowerment, choosing not to follow the Disease Model. They program features four main steps:
- Building and Maintaining Motivation
- Coping with Urges
- Managing Thoughts, Feelings and Behaviors
- Living a Balanced Life
Client-centered Approach
This is a more humanistic approach to treatment, pioneered by an American psycologist Carl Rogers, that emphasizes unconditional positive regard, accurate empathy, and genuineness and its core tenets.
Whatever the approach is, if you or a loved one is suffering from an addiction, please reach out to a trained medical professional or a treatment center, such as drug detox austin tx, to bolster your chances of recover.
References
https://drugabusestatistics.org/
