Among various addictions, drug addiction can be the most difficult to combat. Those addicted to drugs not only develop physiological changes throughout the body, but also suffer degradation of the psyche and impairment of brain activity. From the outside, it might seem that those affected have undergone a noticeable change in personality, or have entered a ‘zombie-like’ state.

However, this does not mean that a person who smoked a joint yesterday will become a complete drug addict tomorrow. That would be silly. Usually, the chemical web of addiction drags its victims into the net through a series of bliss and euphoria states, after which a withdrawal inevitably sets in, aggressively calling for a new, stronger type of drug.

Statistics show that most of those experimenting with drugs are young people and teenagers. Why it’s so dangerous, and what is the effect of drugs on the body, are the topics we will discuss in this article. After reading, you can Google “Rehab Near Me” if you need information on dealing with an addictive situation your own life.

Why Drug Addiction is Dangerous for Society

There is no denying that drug abuse is a growing problem. It’s a highly profitable business and we’ve seen on TV shows like Breaking Bad and Ozark that those who engage in the drug trade are completely amoral and ruthless, without a care for those whose lives are destroyed by their livelihood. The evidence can be seen in these facts:

1. Drug addiction is considered one of the leading diseases in terms of its mortality rate. Every year, drug addiction takes millions of lives globally. It does not spare the rich, the talented, or the young. The victims of drug addiction range from the most famous stars to ordinary people.
2. Drugs are widely available to teenagers and even children. To make matters worse, the personal addictions of negligent, drug addicted parents often leads to their children becoming drug abusers.
3. The uncontrolled state of the addict’s psyche, and dependent behavior, can often lead to criminal consequences. It might start with stealing valuables at home to pay for drugs, but can lead to robbery and worse.

Society continues to condemn this behavior, and it’s important to remember that when you see this happening in your own family, there’s no room for ambiguity. It is necessary to engage specialists as soon as possible to make sure the afflicted person receives qualified, professional help.

How to Recognize Drug Addiction

This question concerns everyone, but it is especially relevant for families with teenagers. Many of those suffering from the disease of addiction might begin their path of substance abuse by doing a line of cocaine at a party, but that may soon escalate to the first experimentation with heroin.

At the first stage of the disease, the root causes of use might seem harmless, for example, doing them ‘just this once’ to fit in at a party or saying that the drugs were ‘a gift’ from a friend. Experimenting with drugs can be caused by curiosity, mental instability, loneliness, and feeling misunderstood by parents or other adults. Increased promiscuity is another warning sign, and often appears against the background of alcohol consumption.

All addictive substances have powerful effects on the brain, leading to a desire in the user to repeat the first blissful high, so there will be attempts to find a resource (dealer). If a good mood is no longer possible without drugs, it’s already a problem.

The second stage of the disease lasts from one to several months from the beginning of the first usage. It is characterized by a craving for drugs, which can occur on an ongoing basis, at the physiological level. The effect of euphoria is replaced by a state of withdrawal, manifesting in outbursts of anger, profuse sweating, light sensitivity, mood swings, and other physical symptoms such as headache and chills.

The third stage of the disease begins around six months and is characterized by physical changes in the body from continuous drug abuse. It can include the above symptoms as well as a decline in the sociability of the addict. With a lack of inhibitions or recognition of consequences, they are a danger to themselves and to those around them. There is a sharp depletion of all vital organs and systems, loss of intelligence, and inadequate perception of the outside world. Such a person urgently needs help from specialists.

It is important to remember that all of these stages are rather conditional. They may vary in time and depth of the problem. However, each of them requires at least attention from loved ones and professional advice at an inpatient drug rehab center in New Haven.

How Does Treatment for Drug Addiction Work?

If you do a search for “drug counseling near me” on the internet, you’ll find that there are different treatment programs at each facility. Although, the basics are universal, in modern practice, there is a multi-stage system of patient rehabilitation, which includes the most advanced techniques. The program begins with the development of an individual treatment plan for each patient. For example, it may include:

• the use of medications;
• rehabilitation therapy, treatment of chronic, somatic diseases;
• psychological assistance: hypnosis, physiotherapy, coding;
• individual therapy or group sessions with a specialist;
• building a healthy model of the patient’s behavior in a “clean” life with the participation of others.

Dealing with drug withdrawal is the initial stage of recovery, which requires a complete detoxing of the patient from drugs. The longer the period of drug use is, the more difficult it is to complete withdrawals. The procedure should be carried out by qualified doctors, because the safety and effectiveness of the procedure depends on the experience and skills of a specialist. Try to Google “drug rehab centers near me” and you’ll find a lot of possibilities and ways of treatment in specific clinics.

A detoxification procedure is carried out to cleanse the body of toxic substances and accumulated poisons. After a doctor has carried out certain procedures aimed at relieving withdrawal symptoms, an addicted person will feel less pain and anxiety.

Next, the long road of psychological recovery starts. Usually, it takes some weeks in rehab and should be continued after leaving a clinic. There are various support groups and free helplines for people who are fighting addiction, so you should pay additional attention to the emotional state of a person in recovery and help them seek appropriate support.

Drug addiction separates a person from his or her family, work, and society. Their rehabilitation and recovery will require time, perseverance and continuous supervision. Regardless of the methods chosen, addiction can only be dealt with by experienced professionals (Google “drug rehab centers near me”). The responsibility of relatives  and friends is to recognize and pay attention to the problem as early as possible, and direct an addicted person to treatment. The love and care of relatives and friends is the biggest motivation for a successful recovery.