Addiction

The road to recovery has many hills, withdrawal being one of the steepest. Its painful symptoms may have halted your efforts to quit drugs or alcohol. Or perhaps the fear of withdrawal keeps you addicted. Know that you're not alone. By understanding the mechanisms behind withdrawal and developing effective coping mechanisms, you can greatly improve your chances of recovery.

The human brain controls your entire body, including your thought processes. According to Web MD1, billions of neurons connect, communicate and work together to ensure that your body works effectively and that your body moves in the way that you direct. The brain communicates through a complicated series of electrical signals and chemicals, says Web MD2. When a doctor diagnoses a mental health condition, it means that your brain does not communicate in a normal way. In some cases, it causes or contributes to an addiction to drugs or alcohol. In other situations, substance abuse directly causes your mental health condition.

Psychologists and addiction researchers have long understood that one of the most important factors in developing effective treatment methodologies for substance abuse is understanding the underlying causes of it. Assessing an individual’s personal life, mental and physical health, and cultural influences are absolutely essential. But in analyzing the explosive growth of substance abuse and addiction since the end of World War II, researchers have come to recognize the importance of society’s impact on the prevalence of these destructive behaviors, and the role the institutions that make up a society play.

When a loved one shows signs of a mood disorder like bipolar disorder, he or she acts out in ways that family members do not always understand. In some cases, a loved one uses drugs or alcohol as a coping strategy or worsens the symptoms of bipolar disorder by abusing a substance. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness1, almost 50 percent of men and women with a severe form of bipolar disorder and 33 percent of all individuals with a mental health disorder abuse drugs or alcohol.

People with a substance addiction often have another co-occurring mental illness, known as a dual diagnosis. Many treatment programs involve treating each part of the dual diagnosis separately, which studies show may not be optimal. Some addiction treatment centers may refer the patient to another facility for mental health care. Others lack the knowledge and tools to treat both disorders, limiting the patient's prognosis. Research continues to examine the complex mechanisms behind co-occurring disorders. While each case is unique, many factors can improve your loved one's chances of recovery.

Family involvement in a loved one's treatment and recovery from drugs or alcohol provides a powerful tool that prevents future addiction and substance abuse. The National Institutes on Health1 report that the family plays a central role in an individual's recovery because they provide the support system. Although the family helps a loved one reach personal goals, they also need support and assistance throughout the process so that the entire family improves and grows.

Alcoholism is a devastating disease that can rip apart families, destroy careers, and jeopardize physical health. If you have a loved one who is struggling with alcoholism, these terrible outcomes aren't the only reason quitting is extremely important. Alcohol abuse significantly raises an individual's risk of taking their own life. Find out more about the connection between alcohol and suicide below. Then, reduce your loved one's risk by helping them get professional help today.

Withdrawal is a challenge all people recovering from drug addiction must face. After prolonged drug use, the body becomes conditioned to depend on the drug to maintain stasis, or a normal level of function. When the person reduces or discontinues drug use, unpleasant symptoms may occur.

Alcohol abuse is a problem that is easily overlooked due to the prevalence in adult society. According to the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism1, 86.8 percent of adults will drink alcohol in their lifetime and 70.7 percent will drink alcohol at least once in a year. In any given month, roughly 24.6 individuals over 18 years old will binge drink and roughly 6.8 percent will drink heavily, reports the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism1. When you binge drink alcohol, it impacts your physical body and your brain.

The human brain controls the way that individuals act, think and interpret the world around them. When a loved one abuses drugs or alcohol, his or her brain changes. The University of Utah1 explains that substance abuse rewires the brain and changes its reward system. Essentially, the drug causes the brain the flood the system with pleasure or reward hormones like dopamine. Over time, individuals do not respond to the hormone when it is naturally produced and an addiction to the substance develops.

Some people can use drugs recreationally without ever becoming an abuser or addict. Conversely, others quickly become an abuser, which leads to addiction. Substance use starts to impact their work and social lives not long after trying the substance for the first time. Most people are unaware why some people become addicted to drugs. Some mistakenly believe addicts simply lack willpower or moral fortitude to end their addiction. In actuality, addiction is a disease that requires much more than a strong will and positive intentions to shake.

The words “dependence” and “addiction” are often thrown around in today’s substance abuse-conscious society. That the public is aware of such terms is a step in the right direction, and shows that as a culture we are no longer as willing to sweep such issues under the rug. However, a lack of clear education on the topic and the similarity between the words can lead to confusion. If you are unsure about the difference between the two, it may hinder your efforts to decide on an appropriate course of treatment.