Entering a drug treatment center is the best course of action for an individual who is addicted to drugs. Likewise, an alcoholic will find the support they need in one of the treatment facilities. There are many different types of drug treatment centers and various types of therapies that individuals can obtain help from. Furthermore, if you are caring for a loved one that is suffering from an addiction, encourage them to consider entering a drug treatment center. Drug treatment centers can help you regain control of your life once again. If an addict continues to engage in illicit drug taking, incarceration is eventually where they may find themselves.

What is Drug Addiction?

Some people don't sympathize with drug addicts. They may believe that the addicted person has chosen their path in life and as such is wholly responsible for their own downfall. While a drug addict does have a choice to take chemical substances, there can be lots of factors working against them, making it virtually impossible to stop using once they start. Addiction, in the drug and alcohol context, relates to the compulsion to consume these substances repeatedly despite the negative implications that they cause on a person's health and wellbeing.

Often the case is that a person turns to drugs or alcohol to ease their internal sufferings, conflicts, or external stresses that others may not even be aware of. Unknowingly some who self-medicate are pre-disposed to addiction so what they assumed would cure them will actually cause them to become drug dependent. Here are some common factors that predispose a person to addiction.

Biology

The genetic makeup of a person plays a role in their predisposition to drug addiction. There is lots of research being conducted in this field currently; The Jackson Laboratory is dedicated to finding new ways to prevent addiction in people through in-depth genome studies. According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence (NCADD), genetics are the primary driver behind 50 percent of addiction cases.

Family History

If a person grows up in a house of addiction, they are at an increased risk of suffering from addiction themselves. Witnessing a parent battling addiction can be traumatic, but it can also become normalized to an impressionable young person.

Poverty

Indeed, addiction can touch the lives of just about anyone, but those living in poverty are more likely to fall into the clutches of drug dependency. A combination of fewer employment opportunities increased money worries, and of course, access to chemical substances, those residing in impoverished areas may be at risk of developing an addiction.

How to Manage Addiction

Drug addiction and alcoholism are life-long illnesses; while a person can certainly get clean, they may battle with urges always. It is crucial that an addict gets help in a drug treatment center. Not only do drug treatment centers offer a safe space for addicts to detox, but they also provide a range of treatments that teach relapse prevention strategies. Furthermore, a dual diagnosis patient will get the full course of treatments they need for both their addiction and mental illness, so drug treatment centers are vital to their recovery.

Due to the uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous side effects of drug withdrawal, a user will be safer in a drug treatment center.

Some general symptoms of withdrawal include:

* Mood changes including increased anger, depression, irritability, and even aggression

* Shakiness, hot and cold flushes, and clammy skin

* Nausea, vomiting and weight loss

* Restlessness and insomnia

For some addicts, notably opiate dependents, withdrawal can be quite dangerous. Some side effects can include hallucinations and even seizures.

What is a Relapse?

Relapse is every recovered addict's worst nightmare. Relapse comprises three stages that lead to drug taking. These stages are:

* Emotional Relapse: During this phase, a person will subconsciously be craving drugs. They will exhibit their cravings through their mood, which is likely to be low, subdued and irritable. The difficulty with the emotional relapse phase is that the signals associated with it can mirror mental illness such as depression. Often, families and friends of the addict fail to recognize the signs as they can think that their loved one is just adjusting to their new sober life.

* Mental Relapse: In the mental relapse phase, an addict will be actively engaging in harmful, downward thinking. They may tell themselves that their drug taking was not that serious. They may even cease engagement in their treatment program in place to help them avoid relapse. Alcoholics Anonymous is attended by recovered, and in-treatment alcoholics and a danger sign for an attendee is when they start to make excuses not to go. This is a clear signal that they are thinking about relapsing. The beauty of Alcoholics Anonymous is that attendees usually have a sponsor, a person that looks out for them. It is those engaged in other programs with no peer support that the risk of relapse increases.

* Physical Relapse: A person has now decided to use again in this phase and will actively seek out and consume drugs. The danger with this phase is that a user may believe they are beyond saving and so continue to consume drugs rather than engage with a drug treatment center as soon as they can.

What Therapies are Available in a Drug Treatment Center?

Today, there is an abundance of addiction therapies, and the options are becoming more contemporary. For example, art and music therapy are commonly used to help an addiction patient to express themselves in alternative ways. Traditional treatments don't work for everyone, so it is great that the development of drug therapies continues to happen.

Generally, the first program a user will engage in when they enter a drug treatment center is medically assisted detox. This treatment is necessary for addicts with severe dependency problems. Examples of drug substances that require medically assisted detox are opiates, methamphetamine, and alcohol. This list is not exhaustive, but it highlights some of the key players.

Medically assisted detox enables a person to withdraw from their addictive drug safely. A patient may engage in medically assisted detox in one of two ways. They may enter a residential drug treatment where they will receive care night and day, and be prescribed a substitute medication to help them through the withdrawal process. Alternatively, a patient may detox as an outpatient and take the substitute medication made available to them. They will often be required to check in with the drug treatment center and undergo drug tests. These tests show if they are taking substances in addition to the substitute medication.

A well-known medication that is prescribed for heroin addicts is Methadone. An opiate substitute, methadone can be taken for up to six months or for a shorter time if an addict is undergoing a rapid detox. If engaging in a rapid detox, it is vital that the person is treated as an inpatient in a drug treatment center. Due to the sometimes dangerous side effects of such a withdrawal, on-hand medical care from a professional is highly advisable.

Counseling

Once a person has undergone detoxification they will need to engage in a suite of therapies to treat their emotional and psychological needs. Addiction can degrade a user's self-esteem and hope for their future. Perhaps they have engaged in unsavory activities to feed their habit so once the drug haze is gone, all that's left is a sense of sadness and despair.

Talk therapies such as counseling are very useful for addiction treatment. Some people find peer support through group counseling very helpful as it provides them with a platform to share their story and listen to the stories of others. Making a connection with someone who has experienced the same things that they have can be an empowering and comforting feeling for an addict. The realization that they are not alone can give them the hope that they desperately need.

Motivational Interviewing

This new-age treatment acts to encourage a person to look within themselves and discover their ambition, lust for life and resilience. There are different techniques which a motivational interviewer will use, and they include:

* Expression of sympathy for the patient

* Convey the gaps between a patients' dreams and their behaviors which inhibit their dreams coming true

* Calmness throughout treatment no matter how irritable the patient becomes

Are you Ready to Get Help?

Addiction is a powerful and severe illness. A person suffering from drug abuse issues knows all too well the pain it causes to not only them but their loved ones also. Indeed, the battle against addiction is no easy feat, but sobriety is worth the war. Contact a drug treatment center today to help set you or your loved one up for success. These specialty facilities will offer the support, medical assistance, life skills training, and psychological support that every addiction sufferer needs. It is never too late to get help and remember; clean living can be achieved if you remain steadfast, dedicated and hopeful.