Drug Addiction is not a new problem. People can become addicted to over the counter medications, alcohol, tobacco, street drugs. When a person starts using drugs of any kind, it is a conscious decision. They consciously make the decision to take drugs or alcohol for recreational purposes. As time goes on the person who is taking the drugs has less control over his or her impulse to take these drugs. Their ability to choose not to take the drugs becomes compromised, and this is when addiction begins.
There are many ways to treat addiction, but it is not a simple fix and it may take a combination of treatments to be successful. There are many steps to successful treatment. These steps include detoxification, counseling, possible medications, evaluation and treatment for secondary conditions that might be affected by or caused by the drug addiction such as depression and anxiety, and long term follow up care to prevent relapse.
The first step in drug addiction treatment is to stop using drugs and seek help. Detoxification is the process by which the body rids itself of the drugs. Medications can help with the detoxification by suppressing withdrawal symptoms which is why it is important to detox in a facility that can manage your withdrawal.
Behavior counseling is important for both treatment addiction and also to evaluate if there are any secondary conditions that might have caused or be caused by the addiction. Behavior counseling help patients modify their attitudes and behaviors as related to drug use. If the patient is diagnosed with depression and/or anxiety then this can also be addressed via counseling or medication. Counseling can be effective in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Counseling is also important for long term follow up to prevent relapse.
Drug addiction is a disease that is hard to treat and has a high rate of relapse. The most important thing is to realize the problem and seek help and treatment. Treatment for drug addiction is long term commitment to be successful and to prevent relapse.