For those who aren’t at the point where they want recovery, the first week or two may be challenging. When someone gets caught with an addictive substance in their system, they are sent to court and given a criminal record. Depending on the charges this makes becoming a productive member of society very difficult. And with every use, the ideal vacation day becomes lower and lower on the scale as tolerance builds.

There are many facilities that offer family therapy to help mend the bridges that the addiction has weakened. The phrase “hit rock bottom” describes the point when you feel like you have nothing to lose.

Myth #9 people Who Are Addicted Need Tough Love

It’s common for people to require several rounds of addiction treatment, just like with any other disease. When someone uses drugs or drinks alcohol, the reward center in their brain is triggered. For some individuals, the body will begin to crave this feeling. No matter how “strong” someone is, they could develop an addiction. The biggest myth about addiction is that it is a choice, but it has been proven that it’s a disorder because it can change a person’s brain chemistry. Addiction is something that almost everyone has an opinion about, including those who don’t fully understand it.

myths about addiction and recovery

In modern rehab centers,medication-assisted treatmentis a common practice. To some, using prescription medication during addiction treatment might seem counterintuitive. But there are marked differences between the prescription medicine in rehab and the drugs a person may be addicted to.

Utilize Your Future Self To Help Overcome An Addiction

Drug and alcohol addiction are serious conditions that have long-lasting effects on your physical and mental health. If you or a loved one is struggling with addiction, reach out to us for a free, confidential consultation. We provide evidence-based substance abuse treatment that helps you understand addiction and the reasons you abuse drugs and alcohol, so those can be addressed. You’ll learn healthy coping skills and develop connections with peers in recovery who know what you’re going through. People believe that drug and alcohol addiction are signs of weakness or indications that an individual is a bad person.

Therefore, having to hit a predefined rock bottom before receiving help from addiction treatment is a myth. To benefit from treatment, individuals need a moment of clarity in which they have a willingness to change and seek help. This moment of clarity can come as the result of one of the losses. This can’t last forever, but in many cases, loved ones don’t find out about the problem until it has completely spiraled out of control. High-functioning addicts may be able to function for a while, but in the end, the truth always makes itself known. The concept of addiction is clouded with many misconceptions and assumptions, making it difficult for friends and family members to truly understand what an addicted loved one is going through.

The sooner you get help for your addiction, the better it is for you and everyone in your life. Falling victim to addiction does not place you into any category or stigmatize you in any way.

  • But in order for a real “paradigm shift” to occur, there are a few common myths of treatment that must be debunked.
  • Part of this comes from making the most of your treatment program, learning to identify your triggers and developing strong coping strategies for saying “no” when you face temptation.
  • While it’s true that treatment programs have guidelines and rules you’re expected to adhere to, there is also a lot of freedom in our programs.

Addiction to drugs or alcohol is a multi-faceted, individualized chronic disease. Until society and the media accept this fact, these disruptive and harmful myths will continue to persist. Unfortunately, their effect on recovery is detrimental, and may even dissuade an individual from entering or believing in treatment and recovery from addiction. Treatment for addiction is ever-changing, especially with studies such as this highlighting the negative effects of stigmatization on addiction recovery.

You may be scared to leave your loved ones behind or worried you won’t have a place to return when your treatment concludes. It’s natural to feel this way, but pausing from your current daily life can positively benefit your treatment and overall recovery. At Gateway Foundation, we prefer to use the term “medically supervised withdrawal.” “Detox” implies that once the substance you are addicted to leaves your body, all will be well. But the truth is, withdrawing from an addictive substance is only the first step in the process. This refutes the logic of the common “tough love” approach to treating addiction. People often believe that cutting addicts out of their lives or putting them in jail will help them to realize that change needs to occur, but this harsh treatment can often exacerbate the problem.

Have Questions About Drug And Alcohol Treatment? Submit This Contact Form And Well Be In Touch!

Never hesitate to seek help for this problem because you fear what admitting it might say about you. For most people, willpower alone will never be sufficient to overcome the powerful effects of this cycle.

Each addict has different needs for recovery that may not be met by trying to squeeze them into the rigid 12-step mold. While society has improved in understanding addiction, a lot remains unclear, especially for those who have never struggled with a drug or alcohol addiction. Most addicts have an underlying myths about addiction and recovery mental health disorder already distorting their perception of the world before abusing substances. Coming down hard on an addict only confirms the negative self-talk they already believe about themselves. An addicts brain can go back to normal in a lot of cases, however this process takes time.

  • As time passes, those who are in treatment slowly begin to see the merit in becoming clean and sober.
  • You could also consider outpatient programsmade to let you maintain your independence while seeking addiction recovery treatment.
  • Now, the perfect vacation day is only a 25% happiness level, and using the drug is a 100% happiness level.
  • They commonly think that there’s nothing they can do until you are ready to get help on your own.
  • Addictive substances flood the brain with pleasure-enhancing chemicals which, in turn, can erode self-control and the ability to make healthy decisions.

In 2018 an estimated 21.2 million people needed this treatment, but only 3.7 million got it, according to a survey from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. Keep in mind that most people with addiction https://ecosoberhouse.com/ who suffer a recurrence will return to recovery. Also, people who get help before their illness is so severe have more resources to draw upon, such as supportive family or a job, to help them successfully recover.

Nine Common Mistakes To Avoid In Addiction Recovery

You’ll have time to yourself and, as your program progresses, you may even be able to have visits with loved ones. You could also consider outpatient programsmade to let you maintain your independence while seeking addiction recovery treatment. There are two reasons why it’s dangerous to quit cold turkey. First, when your body begins to experience intense withdrawal symptoms, they may be so unbearable that you could be tempted to give up and seek out drugs or alcohol to stop them. If you cannot sleep or function normally without drugs or alcohol in your system, you are addicted to a substance. Contrary to what some people believe, addiction is a very real physical dependence on a chemical. Deciding to enter an addiction recovery program is courageous because it’s about more than just sharing your feelings or finding the willpower to quit using.

For example, regular AA and NA meetings and a new phone number, to begin with. Relapse can happen due to stress, mental afflictions such as depression or anxiety, adverse life events and more. The longer you are sober or clean, the less likely you are to relapse. Wanting to stop and actually stopping are two different things. For many people, death will come before rock bottom ever does. It is better not to continue to rationalize use, and to make changes instead.

Since doctors prescribe prescription drugs, they certainly can’t be that addictive, right? Prescription drugs like ADHD medication or narcotic pain medication can be and are abused if not taken under a doctor’s supervision. For example, a report from the National Institute on Drug Abusereported that an estimated 18 million people in the U.S. misused prescription medications in the past year. We publish material that is researched, cited, edited and reviewed by licensed medical professionals. The information we provide is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment.

Myth #2: Addiction Only Affects Certain Types Of People

This is especially dangerous because it makes it much more difficult for friends and family to intervene before it is too late. Outpatient addiction treatment is only one to three hours a week. Certainly, your mental health and your sobriety are just as important. There are plenty of people who continue to function while suffering from substance abuse. One term for this is “functioning alcoholic”, as described by our partners at the St. Joseph Institute. Even if they are managing to go through the motions, treatment may still be needed for people in functional addiction. Addiction is a progressive illness, so someone who is considered high functioning at the current time is unlikely to stay that way for long.

But finding the right treatment program takes some research. Arecognized leader in addiction medicine, Gateway Foundation’s programs are based on medical and psychological research but tailored to meet each patient’s unique needs and challenges. Offering residential, outpatient and day treatment options, Gateway is committed to helping you find a way forward. While it’s true that treatment programs have guidelines and rules you’re expected to adhere to, there is also a lot of freedom in our programs. At Gateway, we don’t offer a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment because we believe that each person is an individual who needs individual attention. When someone refers to quitting drugs or alcohol “cold turkey,” they mean they plan to quit abruptly without the help of medication or assistance from experienced medical personnel. Someone who chooses to address their addiction this way typically attempts to stop using drugs or alcohol at home by themselves.

Addiction Essential Reads

If you are not ready to share with your loved ones, every state has a variety of Alcohol Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous meetings available by region. Relapse can happen at any time, especially during times of stress.

Relapse does not equal failure, just like with many other diseases one treatment might not be enough to get control of it. No one calls a patient with a relapsing physical disease and tells them they’ve failed. Going through treatment can open the addict’s eyes to the fact that they have a problem and from that point, the recovery process starts.

Once addiction takes hold, the brain chemistry can actually change making it hard to control impulses. The substance becomes a craving, an obsession that can become more important than other aspects of life. Remember too, that once past withdrawal, you may not physically need the drug anymore, but you crave it whenever you encounter a trigger. Or even all the time, in the case of anxiety, depression, trauma, etc. The effects of addiction on the brain can arguably be classified as physical or mental, but they are very real. This means that all addicts have immersed themselves in an environmental construct that supports substance abuse. That’s why addiction treatment is focused on coping skills, identifying and treating mental conditions and helping addicts reconnect to the world in a healthy way, with lots of social support.