Drug addiction is a huge issue throughout the world, it claims thousands of lives in the United States every year. Prescription pill abuse ranks as one of the deadliest addictions in the US. when someone enters addiction recovery they are preventing themselves from becoming a statistic. Recovery from addiction is not an easy thing, the disease of addiction is a very complex and dynamic process that encompasses all aspects of one’s body. Addiction recovery requires one to work on their physical health, their mental health and their social behaviors, if someone wishes to be successful and gain long term recovery it is necessary for them to work on improving all things.
The Alcohol Research Group at the Public Health Institute defines recovery as “Recovery is a goal of addiction treatment and addiction recovery-oriented systems of care are being developed to support that goal. Addicts who no longer use drugs and are trying to pursue an improved way of living/being, say that they are in recovery.” Addiction recovery is more than just not using drugs anymore, it is a new way of life. When one is out there using drugs they tend to put every other aspects of their lives to the side. The drugs become what is most important, more important than food, more important than shelter and more important that our loved ones; it is all that matters.
What Steps to Take
Getting overwhelmed is easy when you are trying to help a loved one struggling with addiction. It’s very hard to find an addiction center that is going to be the right fit for your loved one. It’s very important to be prepared for what is ahead of you during this process. Being prepared can make all the difference in whether your loved one will agree to go get help or if they will continue to live the dangerous and poisonous life they are currently living. Finding help for a loved one is a stressful process, no matter how prepared you are, but the more ammunition you have on your side the better you chances are to get your loved one to agree to get the help they need.
The first thing you want to do is to find out what options there are available for your loved one. There’s a few things to ask yourself when figuring this out; what is my loved one using? How long have they been using for? Is there any history of treatment in the past? Are there any mental health issues involved on top of the alcohol or substance abuse issues? Once you have an answer for each of those questions you need to start looking into the different treatment options that will suit your loved one’s specific needs.
What Type Rehab is Best?
If your loved one has a history of anxiety, depression, PTSD or something similar, you need to make sure that you are looking for a “dual diagnosis” center. Almost half of all addicts and alcoholics struggle with mental health issues on top of their addictions. A dual diagnosis center will treat both the addiction/alcoholism as well as the underlying mental health issues. If those issues are left untreated the chances of a relapse are much higher.
Privately owned rehab facilities can get quite expensive, if you are not financially able to privately pay for a center there are still many options available. Thankfully most private insurance companies are willing to pay for your loved one’s stay in a program. If there is no private health insurance and no finances available there are state funded programs that your loved one will be able to enter free of cost. Most of the time all of these programs will have some type of waiting list, so it is important to get in contact with them prior to doing an intervention.
If you are struggling to figure this out what will be best reach out to an addiction professional, a recovering addict/alcoholic or a local hospital and ask what their opinion is in the situation. With some substances like opiates, alcohol and benzodiazepines a detox will be required prior to admitting into a rehab center.
Stages of Recovery
SAMHSA also known as the Substance Abuse Mental Health Services Administration but together twelve guidelines for addiction recovery:
- There are many pathways to recovery.
- Recovery is self-directed and empowering.
- Recovery involves a personal recognition of the need for change and transformation.
- Recovery is holistic.
- Recovery has cultural dimensions.
- Recovery exists on a continuum of improved health and wellness.
- Recovery is supported by peers and allies.
- Recovery emerges from hope and gratitude.
- Recovery involves a process of healing and self-redefinition.
- Recovery involves addressing discrimination and transcending shame and stigma.
- Recovery involves (re)joining and (re)building a life in the community.
- Recovery is a reality. It can, will, and does happen.
Recovery is a process that will help improve the lives of all involved. When the addict or alcoholic begins to recover their friends and family will be able to live a life with much less stress and worry. When someone is in the middle of an addiction they can forget that their choices are not only affecting them, they are affecting the lives of everyone they come in contact with. When one decides to get help they are taking a huge step in the right direction.
How to Get Help?
It’s important for those in recovery not to give up after a slip or a relapse. Even after making a mistake, the journey of recovery isn’t over. At First Steps Recovery, we never give up on residents. If you feel you are at risk of recurrent relapsing, contact us today so we can help you create a diversion plan that will fortify your recovery and help you to sustain your sobriety long-term.Please call us today if you or a loved one are struggling, 1-844-BIG-STEP (1-844-489-0836).
