The key reason why rehabilitation is the answer with regard to addicts and alcoholics
It is obvious that no person will wish addiction upon themselves as it completely takes over their life and the majority of those with addiction will, at first, abstain from treatment. An addict’s life revolves around their addiction and the substance they are abusing. The thought of living a life without drugs or alcohol is a terrifying prospect and they will generally avoid it, seeing treatment almost as a punitive measure. It is important to let the addict know that the rehabilitation process is the opposite of punishment and is in fact the opportunity to gain back their healthy life without drugs or alcohol. Once an addict understands the nature of a drug and alcohol rehabilitation centre they can see it as a positive place.
Rehabilitation centres help addicts understand the complexity of their addiction, learning that it is out of their control and that they have little to no power over their situation. Every addict needs to go through counselling and therapy in order to gain back social and behavioural skills that make it easier for them to deal with life outside of a treatment centre.
Drugs and alcohol affect the brain’s reward system, making the brain produce an excess of dopamine, which is a pleasure chemical in the brain that tells humans to seek whatever it was that caused the release of dopamine, or more pleasure. Generally dopamine is released due to food, exercise and sex-all the things that humans need to survive and reproduce. Drugs cause the brain to become overflowed with dopamine, which creates the “high” feeling that makes people want to use the substance more. The body will start to need more and more dopamine just to feel normal, which creates an urge to use the substance over and over again. This compulsion quickly turns into a need and therefore the addiction is active and willpower alone cannot stop the cravings.
Addiction is an illness- a disease. Rehabilitation is the only way to recover from the lows of addiction, a positive process helping an addict to re-learn how to live a healthy and happy life without substance abuse.
The thought of leaving home and spending an extended amount of time in a treatment centre is, of course, scary but it is absolutely essential. In many cases cravings for drugs and alcohol can be increased by home and its surroundings. Being in a new and different setting away from familiarity can give the addict an opportunity to restart their life without any of the triggers they are used to. These triggers can be unhealthy relationships or places. These triggers must be avoided in order to gain clarity and perspective so that the addict can avoid these triggers after they leave the treatment centre. If the addict does not take a step back from their comfort zone, the places and things that cause the addict to crave, he or she will not have the willpower and skills to avoid them once back in mainstream society.
It is vital to educate people with addiction about their illness and the problems it causes and therefore, why it is so difficult staying sober. Once the addict has agreed to having help and entering a new way of life they will realise the huge amounts benefits that come from drug and alcohol rehabilitation.
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