One of the biggest culprits leading to the chances of a ruined life and bright future is substance abuse which, when left without any guidance, can lead to drug addiction. According to a data from the National Center for Health Statistics (a part of the US Centers for Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), 63,600 people in the United States have died due to a drug overdose. This has left parents crying over their sons and daughters, friends that have been tragically lost, and children that have been left orphaned.
Drug addiction continues to be one of the main problems in the United States and perhaps you may have a friend or a loved one who is silently struggling to fight addiction. Here in this article, we have come up with the telltale signs of drug addiction and how rehabilitation for these individuals can be effective for recovery:
Signs of Drug Addiction
1. Isolation
Similar to depression, one way of telling if someone is addicted to drugs is when a person begins to withdraw from his or her usual circle of friends or family and prefers to enjoy solitude instead. Their anxious thoughts are forcing them to think that nobody else, aside from themselves, would be able to understand them best. Solitude will become their comfort and defense mechanism; it is also one critical factor that can prohibit actual help from reaching them. Whether they are resorting to isolation to hide the drug use or simply not talking to anyone, lending an ear that’s willing to listen and arms willing to comfort should make them feel better to open up to you.
2. Cravings
As the addiction begins to develop, intense cravings will increase their anxiety and only perpetuate the problem itself. You may start noticing someone constantly sniffing (not due to colds) or trying to control their tremors and shivering. The inability for them to satisfy their cravings can ultimately increase their anxiety which would manifest in fidgeting and stuttering.
3. Increasing tolerance
Drug overdose happens when the drug user has overestimated their dosage of the substance and then becomes unable to get help right away. Before overdosing even comes into the picture, it starts with increasing tolerance from the user. In incremental changes, a drug addict overtime will start to increase the dosage when they find that they are unable to get the same high due to their increasing tolerance. The more the prolonged use of the drugs, the higher dosage it will require to achieve the desired effects.
4. Neglecting responsibilities
A drug addict will start to abandon their former hobbies and will begin to form new and destructive ones. The neglecting of responsibilities will start slow, from waking up late for work or school, to absences due to vague excuses. This will continue to manifest in the addict’s inability to fully take care of their kids, or failure to manage their finances successfully.
5. Failing relationships
With the beginning of usage of substances, the isolation, increased irritability and abandonment of responsibilities may take a toll on the addict’s personal relationships. They will start to spend more time with people whom they know can supply them with their destructive needs. This can result in a strain on their relationships with their friends and family. Sometimes, this may even result in abuse.
6. Continuous use despite financial problems
Drugs don’t come cheap and they come at a price: both monetarily and figuratively. With the expensive cost of drugs, a person who has been addicted to the substance may start to stick their hand into their savings just to supply for their cravings, even if it means putting a strain on their own financial health. When there’s nothing left to pay for the drugs, this person may go out of their way to find money, even resulting in stealing, just to get a fix.
How Rehab Can Work Effectively to Battle the Addiction:
To effectively cure drug addiction, admitting oneself to rehabilitation may become necessary for a full recovery. Here are ways in which rehab can work effectively:
1. Detoxification
Detoxing is a way of getting rid of the toxins from your body. What a rehab facility will do is restrict the person from their source of addiction. The withdrawal symptoms will probably get the best of the addict with increased anxiety and physical pain, but it’s only for the best. After some time, along with great therapy, the person shall be able to live their daily life without the presence of drugs in their system.
2. Therapy sessions
An assigned professional will help guide the person to identify the underlying issues which may have caused and led the person to their downward spiral of substance abuse. But the very important part is teaching the person how to deal with certain triggers such as psychological or incidental situations that, when faced with, provide an opportunity to give in to drugs again.
3. Transitioning to the outside world
Also called as aftercare. As the person eventually progresses towards full recovery, personnel from the rehabilitation center will help the individual to map out a plan on what to do with his or her old, dark habits in order to fully get rid of them without ever relapsing. This may take the form of weekly and monthly therapy sessions with a psychiatrist, or a mandatory schedule to join support groups.
A person who suffers from drug addiction should be treated with care and understanding. They too no longer want to be enslaved by habits they can no longer control, but admitting it to themselves will be just as hard. That is why persistent intervention from friends and family through rehabilitation will ensure that they will once again be back on the path of improving their character for a better and brighter future. If you’re concerned about your mental health, you can seek help from professional organizations like Taylor Recovery to speed up your recovery.
Tom Taylor and Kristi Taylor
Tom Taylor and Kristi Taylor are owners and writers contributing to Taylor Recovery. Their interest in helping others has allowed them to write on some great topics to give help to those in need. Although inseparable, the two do indulge in their own interests whenever they’re free. They love life and love helping those who need help on the road to recovery from what life throws at them.
