Unfortunately, the concept of addiction is becoming all the more familiar to most of us. If you don’t know someone directly, you know of someone in your community that suffers from it. And this is why it’s so important to educate yourself about what addiction is all about, rather than just assume that it’s just a ‘problem’. It’s much more than that. It is an illness that needs attention and patience and it’s important for everyone to know that there’s much more to an addict than simply making bad choices. We’re going to introduce you to 7 facts about addiction that you may have not been aware of in the past.
1. Many Addicts are High Functioning
We have this image of shabby, dirty spaced-out people when we think of someone with a substance abuse problem. The truth, however, is that many people are high functioning and are addicts. They’re able to have successful careers and social life without letting on that they have an addiction problem. These people can only go so far though before the addiction catches up with them and breaks them down entirely, so keep an eye out if you find that a loved one is acting a bit weird even though they’re living their life seemingly normal.
2. There are Stages to Recovery
Recovery doesn’t just happen over the span of a week, there are stages that every addict has to go through to overcome their addiction. It’s important that you understand the different phases of recovery in-depth to be able to get through them successfully. These stages include – the need for recovery, the process of detox, treatment, maintenance, and the ongoing process of advanced recovery.
3. Addiction Has a Lot to Do with The Person
Addiction is not only about exposure, if you look deeper into the psychology of it all, but you’ll also find that people with certain backgrounds, upbringing, and personality traits are more susceptible to addiction than others. So two people can be presented with the same opportunity to use and abuse a substance, but react differently according to their personality type and other factors.
4. Relapse Doesn’t Mean Failure
It’s unrealistic to expect a person that has gone through rehabilitation to not be faced with temptation. It’s also unrealistic to believe that they will never relapse again. While some people do manage to get through it the first time around, many more do not. Relapse does not mean failure, and this is extremely important to remember.
5. Punishment isn’t Going to Work
We’re so conditioned to react to bad situations with punishment that we don’t even think twice about it. But now that we are blessed enough to know more about how the human mind and bodywork, it’s important that we take a step back and assess before giving out punishments. A person suffering from addiction will not relate punishment to the recovery at all, in fact, it will only push them deeper into the addictive behavior. When it comes to addicts, it’s important to integrate support and love and push them in the right direction using logic and patience rather than punishment and judging them.
6. You Need to Hunt for Effective Treatment
Everyone has their own circumstances, but many people assume that there’s a one-way street when it comes to treating people who suffer from addiction. It’s important to note that there are a variety of options when it comes to treatment. You also need to remember that there are different personalities, so at times it will be a case of trial and error before you find the right fit to help the person really follow through with their rehabilitation.
7. Recovery is Always a Work in Progress for an Addict
Addiction is something that is more than just skin deep. It affects the brain and its functions in a big way, and this is why it is an illness like no other. Recovery is something that an addict will have to work with for the rest of their lives and the people around them need to know this to support them. Addicts need a strong support system that will be able to balance being firm while giving them love without judgment, and it truly is a journey of self-discovery for everyone involved.
Addiction is something that we learn more and more about with every passing day. This is why it’s so important that you continue to research and talk to people who have been through it all to really get a better understanding. The more you know about this difficult disease, the better you will become at helping those in need.