Tens of millions of lives are affected every year by the scourge of substance abuse. Drug addiction is a terrible condition that can cost people their professional careers, their families, and even their own life. Being addicted to a substance is a horrible way to live one’s life, even with the knowledge that what the addict is doing is hazardous to their health, the power of the addiction will force them to persist in their abuse.
Drug Addiction Defined
Drug addictions occur when a person becomes physically and mentally addicted to a substance. Hard drugs like heroin, cocaine, and methamphetamine are common substances that are abused, however, it is possible to become addicted to a wide variety of substances and patterns of behavior such as sex or binge drinking.
When addicts are deprived of their substance or drug or choice, they generally experience intense feelings of withdrawal that only cease when they cave in and use the drug. Thus, addicts will generally run themselves into the ground in their pursuit of fulfilling the addiction and easing the cravings.
Addiction Treatments
Addictions can be beaten. It takes time, a strong mind, and a good support structure but eventually an addict’s life can be transformed. Most addictions are treated using a combination of drug therapy and guidance counseling. Programs such as Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous have helped millions of addicts all around the world return to a life of normalcy.
To prevent relapse, an addict needs a strong therapy regimen that includes natural health products that relieve the intense cravings and help the addict’s body recover. Here are five natural solutions that can be used in a drug rehabilitation program to ease cravings and restore the body and mind to health.
1. Caffeine
This compound may seem like a weird addition to a recovery program, after all, isn’t caffeine addictive as well? In large quantities, caffeine can become addictive, however, when it is administered in low doses with specific timing, it can have huge benefits for both the body and the mind. Caffeine increases blood flow to the brain, allowing for clear thought and increased cognitive function. Addicts that are experiencing withdrawal from stimulant drugs such as methamphetamine and Adderall can benefit from including a bit of caffeine in their diets to alleviate cravings for the drug.
- Milk Thistle
Abusing pills and alcohol will play havoc with your liver. The liver processes all of the chemicals and alcohol that an addict consumes. These compounds are incredibly damaging to the liver and can end up causing health disorders and diseases such as jaundice, where the liver is so stressed that it is no longer able to process and filter these chemicals from the blood.
Milk thistle restores liver function to optimal health and strengthens the immune system to any infection or disease. The herb has hepatoprotective properties that can assist in treating cirrhosis and hepatitis, as well as other environmental toxins.
- Yoga
Yoga is a form of exercise that combines movement with meditation to create a better quality of life and well-being. Yoga focuses on strengthening the physical body and mind against environmental and spiritual toxins that cause harm to your physical and mental state. Practicing yoga daily will help an addict recover their physical strength while easing their mind and giving them the mental strength that’s needed to fight off the cravings of addiction.
Closing Off
Drug dependency is a tough spot to find yourself in. However, all is not lost, with the power of your mind and help from supportive friends and family, you will be able to break the cycle and restore your life back to some sense of normalcy. If you are experiencing an addiction, reach out to someone close to you for help, you may be surprised to learn that they were waiting for you to do just that.