How Do I Get Drug Addiction Help?
Drug addiction is a dangerous and complicated disease that ends many lives. Anyone that has experienced it knows how hard it can be deal with when you feel alone and helpless. This may leave you wondering how to get drug addiction help.
Treatment is Best
The first thing you need to know is that professional addiction treatment is the best help available. However, not all treatment centers are created equal. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, successful drug treatment must stop your drug use, help you remain drug-free, and make you productive at home, at work, and in society. So, how do you know that a treatment center meets these criteria?
What to Look For
There are several elements that are essential in successful drug addiction treatment. These are:
- Individualized treatment plans
- Diverse and adaptable treatment options
- A base of counseling and therapy
- Screening and treatment for co-occurring disorders
- Appropriate length of treatment
- Continuing care and monitoring to prevent relapse
All of these elements must be present in order for an addiction treatment center to provide you with the help that you need.
Ask Questions
The only way that you can be sure you are getting the best help available to you is to ask questions. There are several that you should get satisfactory answers to before accepting treatment. These are:
- What treatment methods are used?
- Are treatment plans tailored to each person?
- How long does treatment last?
- Are co-occurring disorders treated?
- Is continuing care provided?
- What support structures are in place?
By asking these questions, you can be sure that you will receive the best help possible in beating your drug addiction.
Take the First Step
Once you know how to find the drug addiction help that you need, it is up to you to make it happen. Use your newfound information and reach out to addiction treatment centers that may be able to meet your needs. The longer you delay, the stronger your addiction becomes and the harder it is to stop.
Drug Addiction Help: When do you Need It?
Drug addiction is a very serious problem facing society. It is so widespread, that you may be suffering from it now. Professional treatment is well known to be the best means of aiding addicted individuals, but how do you know when you need drug addiction help?
Signs of Addiction
If you are addicted, then you need drug addiction help. This may leave you wondering if you are truly addicted. According to the Mayo Clinic, there are several signs that can indicate if a person is addicted to drugs. Some of the most obvious of these are:
- Using more and more of the drug to get high
- Having intense cravings for the drug when you don’t have it
- Experiencing legal or health problems related to your drug use and continuing to use
- Doing things you would not normally do, in order to get the drug
If you are doing any of these things, you have an addiction to drugs and you need to seek professional help before it takes over your life.
How Addiction Takes Over
Drug addiction is a powerful disease. So powerful, in fact, that it completely takes over your life. As your addiction grows, you will find yourself giving up more and more in exchange for a high. This can cause you to lose everything, including:
- Your friends
- Your family
- Your job
- Your home
- Your health
- Your life
Getting professional treatment is the best way to avoid losing these things. If you get help sooner rather than later you will lose even less.
What Happens When you Delay Treatment
Addiction is not only a powerful disease, but a progressive one, as well. This means that the damage caused by it gets worse over time. Drug abuse changes the brain in ways that cause lasting harm. Often, this damage becomes permanent.
Not only this, but addicts are much more likely to suffer irreversible organ damage and infectious diseases, such as HIV. For these reasons, it is imperative that you get the drug addiction help you need immediately.