Category: International

Today, there are many misconceptions about drug use. The media feeds us so many differing opinions about drugs and how we should view them. It has become hard to determine where the truth lies concerning drug use. Many addicts and family members of addicts have become so mislead by the plethora of information out there today, they now feel hopeless in their battle toward recovery. Here are some myths that I hope to bust for you today:

All drug addicts fit a certain stereotype. Common stereotypes of addicts include those who abuse drugs have a criminal background; they steal from others to provide for their drug addiction; and all they have poor relationships. However, these misconceptions are simply not true. Drug users can be highly functioning members of society. They could be business people, and they can have a clean criminal background. They can be highly functioning individuals, who have normal relationships and look like anyone else who does not have a drug abuse problem. The issue with stereotypes is they are almost never true.Therefore, stereotypes are not fair to those who are struggling with a drug abuse problem. Also, stereotypes are often used to justify the beliefs of the person who places the stereotype on a person. Stereotypes lead to hatred or at the very least negative beliefs about others. Another problem with stereotypes is they can trick addicts into thinking they do not have a drug problem because they do not exhibit any of the behaviors they are “supposed to” according to the stereotypes of other drug addicts. Others do not want to admit they are an addict because they do not want the negative stigma attached to them which have been previously associated with other drug users.

Drug dependence is a more serious problem than alcohol dependence. It has actually been shown, overall, alcohol does more harm to one’s body than do drugs. The numbers show that more people abuse alcohol than drugs, and illegal substance abuse accounts for less deaths per year than deaths related to alcohol use. Many more people abuse alcohol than drugs as well. This statistic means that not only are there more lives directly affected by alcohol use, but there are more lives indirectly affected alcohol use, including family and friends who are affected by others’ drug use. Although both problems are serious issues, it seems that alcohol may be a bigger problem overall.

Drugs will relieve your stress. Not only are drugs not an effective way to relieve stress, the chemicals in drugs can produce more stress in one’s life. It is also important to note that not all stress is bad. Furthermore, a little stress is actually helpful. Small amounts of stress help us perform better under most situations. Everyone deals with stress in different ways and there is no one way to deal with stress. However, dealing with stress by using drugs is a counterproductive way to cope. It is important to develop different, effective ways to cope with stress for one’s long term health needs instead of turning to drugs to deal with stress. The best way to deal with stress is to take care of oneself by eating a balanced diet and getting enough sleep. Another way to deal with stress is to stay as calm as one can during stressful situations by avoiding arguments and looking for other ways to keep calm.

You can stop using drugs anytime you want. Quitting drugs is much more difficult than simply making a decision to quit. It involves creating a brand new way of life, separate from how one used to live to prevent relapsing into drug use again. Creating new relationships with friends, who do not use drugs, is also a necessary step as well. Drugs often have an impact on one’s relationships, career and financial status that one must work through after stopping drug use too. One must learn new coping mechanisms to deal with stress instead of using drugs as a means to alleviate stress. There are many factors that play into quitting drugs and after use for an extended period of time it makes quitting more difficult.

Your baby will not be harmed if you use drugs while you are pregnant. There are many risks to babies who are born to women who used drugs while pregnant. Some of the effects include preterm birth, low birth weight, children who experience withdrawal symptoms as well and other lifelong disabilities the baby will have to deal with throughout its life.

There are no truths in the myths listed above. It is easy to believe the things we hear without thinking through the accuracy of them. It is also easier to place a label on people to make them seem different. Now that the myths are busted and you are better able to identify a true addict, help them seek appropriate, professional care for their addiction.

Substance abuse does not simply impact the one abusing alcohol or drugs, it also affects every person in the addicts life, especially their family members. Here is a description of how substance abuse can have an impact on the family.

Misusing drugs and alcohol can create tensions within families, causing increased conflict and arguments among family members. Not only can addiction cause conflict with one’s spouse, it can also cause stress in relationships with one’s children. An addict’s children might lose respect for his father because the father does not typically follow through with promises when he has been drinking or using drugs. His children may be afraid of him because they do know know when he will be drunk or high and lash out at him. There are many ways conflict can manifest and cause problems within relationships.

Emotional trauma or abuse within the household are also common factors associated with alcohol and substance misuse. Anger, rage and arguments are often part of family life when living with an addict. Belittling family members can also be a problem when alcohol or drugs take over. Often, addicts have other underlying issues that go hand in hand with their substance abuse problem and putting someone else down helps the addict feel better about herself and takes the focus off her problem temporarily. Addicts are also very good at manipulating situations as well as other people. Manipulation to score more drugs or sip that next drink or to even keep their addiction a secret often causes much tension and stress within the family dynamic. Emotional abuse is often prevalent among families of addicts.

Some addicts take the emotional abuse to the next level by physically abusing a family member. Violence, such as pushing or hitting can happen when a person has had too much booze or is high on drugs. Even if the person is not actually hitting his spouse, intimidating by throwing items or threatening them can be almost as scary. Any type of violence in a relationship is harmful to the relationship and causes unhealthy interactions within families.

Sexual promiscuity while drinking or using drugs is another factor that plays into familial stress with addicts. It may be because the individual is not thinking clearly when intoxicated or using drugs or because their relationship has become so strained, stressed and distant they choose to have an affair. It might not even be a physical affair in that the spouse is looking at pornography due to the distance felt by the stress within the relationship. Perhaps affection in the relationship has been lost because of the stress the addiction caused the person to go looking for affection elsewhere. There could even be an emotional affair that does not take the sexual step, but connects intimately with another person because she does not feel like she and her spouse are close any longer. Any of these types of affairs can happen on either side of the addiction coin-the person who is addicted or the spouse of the addict. These patterns can even lead to separation or divorce within a relationship, which could affect the family’s children as well.

An additional factor that plays into substance abuse is the financial strain it often creates within the family system. Not only are alcohol and drugs expensive habits, they can also cause job loss because of lack of performance or excessive absenteeism. Also, inebriated individuals can make poor financial decisions while they are under the influence. The person may also have legal trouble for which he must pay fines, court fees or jail time, which halts his financial income.  An alcohol or drug addiction can cause financial conflict among families for all of the reasons listed above and more.

Alcohol and drug abuse also has many health risks as well. Being intoxicated or high on drugs can lower one’s focus and impair his thinking, causing him to not pay attention to his children, perhaps causing them to be hurt or have an accident. Smoking also causes health risks for everyone residing within the home, not simply for the smoker himself. Drinking while pregnant can cause major health risks for the baby, which could drastically change one’s family dynamic when the baby is born. These health risk among many more make alcohol and drug dependence dangerous for the addict as well as everyone else in their lives.

If you have a family member who is dealing with addiction, it would be beneficial for the entire family to seek counseling. Alcohol and drug abuse impact the entire family unit. Addictions are often passed down through the family line as well, so if you have children, it is a good idea to include them in the counseling process for this reason. The longer an individual is dependent on alcohol or drugs, the more strain it causes to the family. Seek help for the love of your family.

Anyone suffering from drug or alcohol addiction must look at long term rehab as their best possible chance of acceptance and recovery from the substance(s) that have taken over their lives.

There is NO permanent short term fix:

We need to be brutally honest in terms of countering drug or alcohol addiction. To say there is a permanent short term fix is wrong.

But professional rehabilitation services can and will lay a foundation that gives short term help and guidance, midterm assistance and long term aftercare options that will increase your chances of beating substance abuse problems.

How did you get into this situation in the first place?

This is certainly not a one answer’s all question. Addicts each have their own story, this will usually include peer pressure at the outset of their substance abuse journey, the often sterile environment they live in, where many others are in the same boat, physical abuse or a tragedy that has greatly affected them.

Another oft mentioned fact by addicts is that something that started as “a bit of fun and enjoyment” has turned into a dependence nightmare they wish they could rid themselves of.

Addiction is non-selective:

Addiction takes no prisoners and has no boundaries. It has no racial or spiritual bias, indeed, it will hook its claws into any person it can whenever excessive use and abuse of drugs and/or alcohol are on the menu.

It is a global problem, and when looking at solutions an addict should take these facts into consideration by looking at overseas rehab establishments as well as what is on offer in their own country.

Why do so many become addicted:

Long term rehab is an essential consideration for addicts looking to wean themselves off substance abuse and give themselves a positive future to look forward to. This is because addiction is easily achievable over a relatively short period of time, but its effects leave long term challenges that demand ongoing professional help and assistance.

The reason so many become addicted is because right from that first hit of their drug of choice it is very easily and very well tolerated by the mind and body.

Once you have experienced that initial rush or high, your body naturally wants it again, your brain works overtime by sending signals that indicate it is time to ‘feed’.

The response to these compelling messages is that a new vein is tapped, an extra line is snorted, another pipe lit, or another bottle cracked open.

The problem here is that to achieve the same high as previously, the tolerance you have built-up means you need to take more. You take more, you need more. Destination; Addiction.

Steps to consider in terms of long term rehab:

We will look at some steps to consider for those suffering from alcohol or drug addiction. This is far from exhaustive, and there are many steps between and after, but it is a base to begin from:

Admission:

This is not the type of admission you would pay to get into the movies, nor is it entrance to a luxury rehabilitation resort. It is Self-Admission.

When the time comes that you can honestly admit to yourself and those close to you that you have a substance abuse problem, this should be the start of a new beginning.

It is an extremely difficult thing to admit, but once accepted by yourself, you should feel a weight lifted from your shoulders. From that moment on quick and decisive action should be your aim.

Seeking help in your effort to withdraw:

We will break this down into 3 categories:

Going it alone:

Trying to kick an addiction habit on your own is a decision to be admired. Indeed many of those with drug or alcohol problems will take this as their first ‘escape route’. While it is to be admired, it must be said that in most cases it will be unsuccessful.

This is not because you are weak, it is because the grip your substance of choice has over you will not let go easily.

If you try to cease use immediately there will be unpleasant withdrawal symptoms to face and facing these without professional rehabilitation services makes such a prospect a very daunting one.

If you try to gradually reduce usage without help there is a very strong chance that temptation to continue and increase usage will be waiting around every corner.

Your health practitioner:

Confiding in your health practitioner is a step in the right direction. They should listen, understand and put in place a tapering program that is intended to help you gradually reduce dependence upon your drug of choice while regularly monitoring your progress.

While this is a sensible step it also offers several pitfalls that may be difficult for an addict to overcome. These include the fact that you will not be under constant supervision during early stage withdrawal, and the strong possibility that you will be living in the same environment that helped towards your addiction.

Both factors lead to a very big chance that temptation will get the better of you and a relapse is likely.

Long term rehab:

Strongly recommended by drug and alcohol rehabilitation professionals and addicts who have stayed clean for long periods of time, this type of rehabilitation gives you the best chance of kicking your habit.

It will begin with a discussion to fully understand your situation. Please remember, your situation will be unique. There is no one fits all treatment. You need to be 100 percent honest and open during this discussion. By doing so a plan to move forward in a positive way will quickly be created.

The period you stay at a rehab resort will be agreed and understood. During your stay you will take advantage of many benefits targeted to help you through those crucial early days and weeks of withdrawal and put you in the best frame of mind for long term recovery.

These include first class medical treatment, counselling, physical exercise, challenging discussions, drug or alcohol avoidance techniques and fun communal activities.

Everything is geared to giving you the best possible chance of continuing and pushing on with your rehabilitation once your stay is over.

Aftercare:

Please do not underestimate the importance of aftercare in terms of your rehabilitation. Such care and monitoring is key to long term rehab success and any establishment worth its salt will major on such care.

They will offer a variety of options, explain each one in turn, and help you to decide what is most appropriate for you. From thereon in they will monitor and keep regular contact with you as part of your full recovery process.

Their aim is your aim. This common goal is for you to become drug or alcohol free and continue to stay clean for the long term future.