5 Steps to Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem
Can substance use disorders be treated successfully? Yes, addiction is a treatable disorder. Research on the science of addiction and the treatment of substance use disorders has led to the development of research-based methods that help people to stop using drugs and resume productive lives, also known as being in addiction recovery.
Like other chronic conditions such as heart disease or asthma, treatment for drug addiction usually isn’t a cure. But addiction can be managed successfully. Substance abuse treatment enables people to counteract addiction’s disruptive effects on their brains and behavior and regain control of their lives.
Overcoming substance abuse requires a comprehensive system of support. There are several aspects of addiction you must focus on. Once you are ready to make that change, the next step on your path is getting the help you need. Here are the five steps to overcoming your alcohol or drug problem and why the best time to seek help is NOW.
How to Overcome Your Alcohol or Drug Problem
1. Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Make a Decision to Change
If you or a loved one is struggling with drug or alcohol abuse, the best time to seek help is now. Decide to seek and receive alcohol treatment or a drug detox program because if you are facing drug addiction, your body can no longer simply stop using the drug. The body requires it. At this stage, substance use is a disease requiring comprehensive support. Addiction treatment must address every component of this demand – the physical, mental, and emotional demands.
According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, treatment of chronic diseases involves changing deeply rooted behaviors, and relapse doesn’t mean treatment has failed. A person recovering from an addiction relapse indicates that they need to speak with their doctor to resume treatment, modify it, or try another treatment. [1] Decide to make a change and never get tired of trying again!
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- How to Overcome Your Alcohol or Drug Problem
- Can Suboxone Help With Alcohol Addiction?
- Can Antidepressants Help Addiction?
- What to Do When an Alcoholic Refuses Help?
- How to Help a Drug Addict Who Doesn’t Want Help?
- Get Free Assessment
- Alcohol Abuse Treatment
Learn More:
- Alcohol Abuse
- Symptoms of Alcohol Use Disorder
- Alcoholism and Financial Problems
- Alcohol and Aging
- Alcohol and Insomnia
- Kindling Alcohol
- Alcoholic Cirrhosis
- Mixing Prescription Drugs with Alcohol
- Emotional Effects of Alcohol
- What is Wet Brain in Alcoholics
- Dry Drunk Syndrome
- How To Stop Drinking Alcohol
- How to Help an Addict Who Doesn’t Want Help?
- Inpatient Alcohol Rehab Center
- Alcoholism Treatment, Signs, Complications & Rehab Programs
- Alcoholic Hepatitis Treatments
- Alcoholism Treatment Near Me
- Alcohol Withdrawal Treatment
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Hotline(844) 597-10112. Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Commit to Your Decision
Addiction is a disease. It is life-altering for those struggling with it and those with a loved one battling it. Addiction is not a flaw in your character. It is a physical demand from the body to use a substance it has become dependent on. [2] You must commit to your decision and save your life or a loved one.
Prescription drug abuse, alcohol, and illegal drugs, along with other addictive substances, are not only physically safe to simply stop, but they create an emotional and mental struggle for everyone involved. As a result, you need to view your addiction as a battle. Fight it like you would any other disease. While relapse is a regular part of recovery, for some drugs, it can be very dangerous—even deadly. If a person uses as much of the drug as they did before quitting, they can easily overdose because their bodies are no longer adapted to their previous level of drug exposure. An overdose happens when the person uses enough of a drug to produce uncomfortable feelings, life-threatening symptoms, or death.
Commit to your decision and look for a treatment program that incorporates relapse prevention into all aspects of addiction treatment programs for effective and long-term recovery. When drug relapse occurs due to poor treatment, seeking a science-based treatment is wise. A personalized treatment plan must address all phases of the patient’s physical and mental addiction. A well-organized, supportive recovery plan reinforces the path for each person.
3. Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Get Support from Family and Friends
The root causes of addiction often run very deep. They may have stemmed from various relationships or life events. Blaming one person or another is not helpful, but talking openly about the issue and working to resolve it is paramount. Family members can and should join their loved ones in the recovery journey.
Addiction may be a family disease, but when working together, the family can play a significant role in supporting recovery. The addiction cycle can stop with you. As a part of the addiction treatment process, family members will have an opportunity to get involved during the treatment process, and a lifetime of support is encouraged.
How can parents, siblings, children, and other family members affected by addiction get the support they need? One option is Al-Anon and Nar-Anon meetings. Al-Anon, or Al-Anon Family Groups, is a support group program specifically for individuals whose life has been affected by another person’s drinking. The idea of this organization is that by sharing experiences and applying the principles of Al-Anon, “families and friends of alcoholics can bring positive changes to their situations, whether or not the alcoholic admits the existence of a drinking problem or seeks help”. Al-Anon members may:
- Develop methods to cope with the challenges of a loved one’s drinking
- Identify and alter behaviors that affect another person’s drinking
- Learn more productive ways to communicate with someone who drinks
- Learn from other people’s experiences
- Hear how Al-Anon has helped others
- Develop an understanding of how addiction is a family disease
- Build an understanding of their role in the disease
- Improve the chances of success for the individual struggling with alcoholism
You can win this battle against substance use disorder with your loved ones. As you’re on the path to recovery, share with your loved ones that they can get support too!
Get Help. Get Better. Get Your Life Back.
Searching for Accredited Drug and Alcohol Rehab Centers Near You?
Even if you have failed previously and relapsed, or are in the middle of a difficult crisis, we stand ready to support you. Our trusted behavioral health specialists will not give up on you. When you feel ready or just want someone to speak to about therapy alternatives to change your life call us. Even if we cannot assist you, we will lead you to wherever you can get support. There is no obligation. Call our hotline today.
(844) 597-10114. Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Explore Your Treatment Options
Not all treatment programs offer the same types of treatment. Factors affecting the programming offered include the levels of care provided, the treatment approaches used, and the specific substances for which addiction is treated. A substance abuse treatment program’s different levels of care may include medical detox, inpatient treatment, residential treatment, partial hospitalization, and other programs.
Inpatient rehab programs offer the highest level of treatment care, with medically supervised detoxification and around-the-clock supervision and support. Call today to speak with an admission specialist at We Level Up and find out if our drug and alcohol rehab is perfect for you or your loved one.
Searched for “Supplements that Help with Addiction?”
You may wonder, “can antidepressants help addiction?”, “does suboxone help with alcohol addiction?”, “can acupuncture help alcohol addiction?”
The best answer to these questions is to seek a science-based treatment. Through this, you have the assurance that a treatment professional monitors the program, such as medication-assisted treatment.
Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Can Suboxone Help With Alcohol Addiction?
Suboxone, a combination medication containing buprenorphine and naloxone, is one of the main medications used for opioid addiction treatment. Most physicians, addiction experts, and advocates agree that Suboxone saves lives. Overcoming your alcohol or drug problem may need a combination of therapies and medication. Connect with an accredited treatment rehab that can point you in the right direction.
Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Can Antidepressants Help Addiction?
Can a psychiatrist help with drug addiction? Psychiatrists are doctors who specialize in diagnosing and treating mental disorders and are, therefore, eligible to be part of a patient’s addiction treatment program. A psychiatrist who treats drug and alcohol addiction will have sub-specialty training in addiction and substance abuse treatment. A psychiatrist can help with addiction and depression. Antidepressants can help, but you must be supervised to ensure you take medications without another substance abuse risk.
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5. Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Seek Professional Help
How to help someone addicted to crack, heroin, or prescription drugs such as opioid painkillers? When addiction has taken enough of a toll on an individual or family that they seek the help of a treatment center, there is a sense of desperation. We get that. No one wants to continue to endure pain and suffering. Rather, there is usually a desire to mask certain feelings with drugs or alcohol. In such circumstances, some people may feel that they have no option but to put their trust in something beyond them: a treatment facility.
What to do when an alcoholic refuses help? How to help a drug addict who doesn’t want help? Helping an addict that doesn t want help is one of the significant reasons why treatment professionals train for intervention. When drug rehab does work, it can lead to some of the greatest success stories. An effective drug rehab program helps clients work through guilt, anxiety, and trauma and guides them to realize their potential. These are the success stories. Individuals who complete a rehab program often develop a new appreciation for life, love, and the pursuit of happiness.
Evidence on the effectiveness of psychosocial interventions in substance use disorders is available. For substance misusing clients, any form of psychological treatment leads to better treatment outcomes than no psychological treatment. [2]
Addicts who don t want help often lose their families, homes, and jobs. Anyone close to a long-term alcoholic or drug addict knows that getting someone to quit is tough. Denial is a powerful force that keeps a tight physical and mental grasp on its habitual users. Ready to approach them to get help? You must have the right strategy–and the right help. The best way to go about such a sensitive topic is to work with a seasoned interventionist like one of ours at We Level Up.
Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – What to Do When an Alcoholic Refuses Help?
If you suspect that you or someone you know has developed an alcohol dependency, medical advice must be sought. People who see a doctor for help to cut down on their alcohol consumption may benefit from the following:
- A doctor will help an alcoholic work out a drinking goal. It may take time to cut down completely, so it may be helpful to gradually cut down by setting weekly goals;
- Some people may benefit from seeing an addiction specialist learn more tips on how to achieve long-term sobriety;
- Some people may benefit from seeing a mutual-help group; and
- For people highly dependent on alcohol, detoxification and medically-managed alcohol withdrawal may be necessary.
Alcohol addiction can be a lonely disease that an afflicted person will carry for the rest of their life. In overcoming your alcohol or drug problem, family plays a considerable role in helping you get treatment and stay sober following treatment.
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Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – How to Help a Drug Addict Who Doesn’t Want Help?
A family conscious of its role in helping the loved one recover is likely to offer both the physical shelter and the psychological safety one needs during the early stages of addiction recovery.
What to do when an alcoholic refuses help? How to help a drug addict who doesn’t want help? If you think someone you love is struggling with addiction, you must try to get them help. And although it can be tough to come to terms with the fact that someone you love is struggling with addiction, it can save their life.
You may even resort to denial and just look the other way when you see the warning signs. There’s also a chance that you have no idea how to get your loved one the help they need, which is typical. One of the best ways to motivate your loved one to begin the road to recovery is through an intervention like the one we’ve discussed here.
Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Get Free Assessment
Searched for “what to do when an alcoholic refuses help?” and “how to help a drug addict who doesn’t want help?” Before confronting anyone, families of alcoholics and drug addicts should educate themselves about the disease of addiction. No matter what the alcoholics or addicts say, their addiction is not the fault of their families or friends. While genetics may play a role, substance abusers are responsible for their own choices.
Overcoming Your Alcohol or Drug Problem – Alcohol Abuse Treatment
Do drug addicts need help or punishment? Drug use continues to be penalized, even though punishment does not ameliorate substance use disorders or related problems. People with substance use disorders need treatment, not punishment, and drug use disorders should be approached with a demand for high-quality care and compassion for those affected.
Families also need to recognize symptoms of alcohol or drug abuse. These include:
- Constant lying and denial about the problem
- Frequent irresponsible or dangerous behavior
- Hidden bottles or drugs
- Evidence of blackouts (inability to remember actions while under the influence), and
- Increasing the need for more alcohol or drugs to feel ‘normal’
You may also explore treatment options, including the process of formal intervention services. We Level Up rehab center’s free hotline is open 24/7 for no-hassle calls about overcoming your alcohol or drug problem.
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Sources
[1] Treatment and Recovery – National Institute on Drug Abuse
[2] How to Beat Drug Addiction: The Steps and Resources that Change Lives – Level Up Lake Worth, FL
[3] Evidence-Based Psychosocial Interventions in Substance Use – National Center for Biotechnology Information, U.S. National Library of Medicine