Addiction? When To Get Help And What To Expect

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Addiction?

• When To Get Help And What To Expect

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Table of content

• Introduction
• What is addiction?
• How can a detox center help?
• The stages of recovery
• Helping others

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Introduction

• Dealing with a drug or alcohol addiction of any
  kind is a difficult time in a persons life. With
  the need for a substance driving you, it may feel
  as though you are cut off from the rest of the
  world, with nowhere else to turn. But the
  important thing to remember is that you are not
  alone. Never. Though detoxing is not an easy
  process, with the help and support of a local
  rehabilitation center you will have at your
  disposal all of the information, help, and
  support that you need to begin your journey to
  soberness and a life on your own terms. For many
  people, the idea of 'getting their life back on
  track' is very tempting but it doesn't always
  give enough momentum to drive that final push
  towards going cold turkey.

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What is addiction?

• An addiction is a mental disease which creates an
  impulse to overuse a certain substance for a
  particular effect. This effect is usually one of
  perceived pleasure, such as feeling high. There
  are many substances which can be abused, ranging
  from over the counter painkillers and shop sold
  aerasol (these can cause instant death) to
  illegal substances such as cocaine and heroin.
  The overuse of narcotic substances of any kind,
  however, can have an adverse effect on a persons
  brain chemistry and bodily functions and can
  result in dependency.
• Over time addiction can lead to complications
  beyond those of personal health. These include
  such issues as neglecting those around you,
  jeopardizing your personal well being, not going
  to work, not paying bills, and doing anything and
  everything it takes to get your next fix.
• People suffering from addiction have families and
  jobs that they care about just as much as someone
  who has always been sober, abuse of a drug might
  propel their actions towards less desirable
  behavior.
• Due to the biochemical dependency of an addicted
  brain, it can be very difficult to withdraw from
  overuse of narcotics, and in some cases be more
  damaging to a person's health. For anyone
  suffering from an addiction both physical or
  emotional, it takes time to heal.
• A detox center or rehab is a safe environment,
  one where patients are not demeaned in any way
  for a wayward life and instead are helped to make
  giant leaps forward with the application of
  techniques, counseling, support, and coaching to
  ensure lasting change.

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How can a detox center help?

• Not only is a detox center or rehabilitation
  facility filled with caring people who only want
  to help you get better, but they are also staffed
  with highly educated medical staff and
  professionals with the ability to aid you in any
  stage of your recovery.
• During the recovery process, patients can expect
  to experience some withdrawal symptoms. Depending
  on the addiction substance, duration and quantity
  will vary the type and length of any withdrawals
  you might experience. They are usually different
  for everyone and come in a variety of different
  symptoms.
• In a medical rehabilitation unit, all treatment
  is tailored around an individual's personal
  needs, wants and requirements so as to make the
  transaction as smooth as possible.
• Everyone is different, however, those suffering
  from severe withdrawals may find is very helpful
  to commit to a chemical detox, whereby the toxins
  are flushed from the system much more rapidly
  then they would naturally occur. This allows
  recovery to progress more quickly but is a highly
  uncomfortable experience. During this procedure,
  a nurse and/or doctor will be on call, with you
  throughout the procedure in case you need
  immediate medical attention.
• Of course, it isn't just medical aid that is
  available in a detox center. Another key step in
  the recovery process is communication.
  Rehabilitation staff will be able to help you in
  regards to your personal situation and staff will
  also be able to help those closest to an addict
  know how best to help them recover, what to look
  out for and how to provide a patient with every
  support available. Whilst many patients won't
  ever want to admit it, there is always a
  possibility of relapse. But by keeping in contact
  with your rehab center and being honest should
  you fall into this category, the door to recovery
  will never close. It is a fact of life that
  sometimes our willpower lets us down, and the
  truth is it is not always enough to just try to
  stop. But it is also true that a relapse doesn't
  mean you won't get better. It doesn't mean you
  failed. It just means your not there yet and a
  different approach is all that is needed.

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The stages of recovery

• The reasons for turning to drugs in the first
  instance vary greatly, with some people lead
  there by peer pressure and others using narcotic
  to cope with stress, anxiety or even loneliness.
  Whilst everyone's reasons are different, knowing
  the reasons why a person became dependant of a
  substance is a key step to a patients recovery.
  Not only will knowing the reason aid in treatment
  but it will also be a big help in preventative
  treatment, such as avoiding relapse and of course
  combating the underlining issue.

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• If a patient suffered from an injury or pain
  which required drugs to sooth them, and this led
  to their addiction, rehab doctors can find a
  suitable replacement for the drug. This may be in
  the form of a less addictive pharmaceutical or in
  alternative pain relief practices such as
  meditation.
• Another example would be a patient who turned to
  the comfort of alcohol due to severe depression
  or loneliness. By learning to talk about the
  problems which cause these symptoms, helping a
  patient to communicate better with friends and
  family, rehabilitation staff can start the
  process of ensuring the patient need never depend
  on their addiction again.
• As addiction causes a variety of issues, there
  are of course a variety of courses, treatments,
  group coaching and other options available to
  help patients get back on track with their lives.
  Other examples of how a center can help include
  getting involved with social groups, training
  patients in interview skills to aid with finding
  a job, adapting living conditions to better suit
  individual requirement such as mobility issues,
  apply to animal rescue for companionship the
  list goes on.
• The main thing to remember is that no matter what
  stage you are at in your recovery, is to always
  take full advantage of the resources on offer.

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Helping others

• As all treatments are tailored to the person, so
  too is the option for leaving a facilities
  program or support groups. It is up to the
  individual if they want to leave or if they want
  to stay, which is key in any recovery program, as
  it does not make a patient feel as though they
  are being shown the door.
• It may be a bitter truth but often some of the
  best help an addict can receive is from someone
  who is nearing the end of their journey. One of
  the main benefits an ex-addict can share with
  someone starting out on their recovery.
• Becoming a sponsor or accountability partner is a
  great way to not only ensure the continued
  success of your own recovery but also to aid
  someone else to a better, brighter future beyond
  addiction. journey is that of their own
  experience.

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Helping others

• If you or anyone you know has been affected by
  any of the issues raised in this article, contact
  your local General Practitioner and Drug
  Addiction Centre for further information in
  preventative and recovery care. In case of
  emergency call immediately for an ambulance.
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• To find out more, please visit
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• https//addictionhealingcentre.ca/blog/
• https//addictionhealingcentre.ca/our-team/
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