In this day and age, addiction affects almost everyone in one way or another. Even if you aren’t an addict, you probably know someone who is an addict — or you know someone who is affected by addiction. If we don’t act to stop the spread of addiction, eventually it will directly affect everyone in one way or another. Luckily, an awareness and understanding of addiction as a disease is growing, and people are becoming more tolerant of addicts, which in turn is creating more resources through which they can get help. For that matter, people are beginning to realize that there are many different types of substance abuse. Not all substance abuse involves the abuse of hard drugs like heroin or meth, and in fact often people become addicted to legal substances. Weed addiction does exist, whether or not people acknowledge it. And indeed, many different people find themselves checking into alcohol addiction treatment centers each year. Prescription pills area also potentially addictive. No matter what people become addicted to, the fact is that any kind of addiction can potentially kill an addict or the people they love. It could be due to driving under the influence; it could be overdose, or something else entirely. But addiction of any kind is always life threatening, and we must act to prevent it. Let’s look into how we can prevent and treat addiction.
Who Does Addiction Affect?
As we said before, many different people check into alcohol addiction treatment centers each year — and the emphasis is on different. People from all walks of life suffer from addiction, and understandably so. Men and women alike suffer from addictions — though men have higher rates of addiction than women, women have higher rates of mood and anxiety disorders, which themselves are often linked to addictions. Addiction also affects people of all ages. In fact, people between the ages of 15 and 24 are more likely to experienced mental illness or substance abuse than any other age group. If addiction hits people early, it can be very difficult to quit. Alcohol addiction is particularly easy to fall into, as alcohol is readily available and not taken as seriously as pills, marijuana, or hard drugs. It’s said that Canadians drink 50% more than the global average. And with alcohol being the third leading global burden of disease and injury, it isn’t exactly the time to drink. Alcohol addiction treatment centers certainly help people kick this addiction, but it’s never easy.
How Can Rehab Help Addicts?
When it comes to alcohol addiction treatment centers in particular, there are many different options for people to choose from. Some are “harsh”, meant for those with extremely serious addictions. Often these people have tried everything with little success. It can involve cutting them off cold turkey, with the end goal being to save the lives of patients. These are people who would truly otherwise die from rehab. Then there are luxury rehab centers. They can look and feel like resorts, with a softer approach. But approaches often involve mental health professionals counseling patients so that they can truly change their lives. It can be very easy for addicts to shake off rehab when it’s not effective. Some rehab centers take this into mind and wean patients off substances slowly, sometimes even replacing them with medication for a temporary period of time to help ease the process. This gentle approach may be better for addicts with addiction-weakened bodies.
How Do I Know If I Or A Loved One Needs Rehab?
Be honest with yourself. If you’re asking this question, chances are that you may need to go to rehab. It’s valuable to go to a physician and be honest, asking for their medical opinion. The only way you can break this cycle is by taking the first step. It isn’t easy, and it certainly is frightening — but it’s worth it.