It’s certainly not easy to see your loved one struggling with addiction, and the situation can become even more stressful when you’re not sure how to address the addiction and get that person the help that they need. Approaching the situation in a careful manner is vital in order to lead to successful recovery. We’ve outlined a guide on how to stage an effective intervention for your loved one.
Alcohol misuse can take a heavy toll on your body, causing negative effects on your organ system such as potential serious heart and liver problems. Making the vital choice to detoxify your body from this substance can be accompanied by noticeable effects, however. These can include intense cravings and withdrawal symptoms like anxiety, high blood pressure, headaches and agitation. That is why it is so necessary to maintain a properly balanced nutrition and supplement the areas where you may be deficient as a result of alcohol misuse.
Why is being aware of your thoughts, feelings, and behaviors so critical to your recovery process? These are responses that can be typically found in the subconscious part of your brain, and it is necessary to lead those thought processes to the conscious area to experience positive change. Self-awareness is a necessary skill to deal with the challenges that one experiences throughout their life.
Identify patterns of self-destructive thinking and behaviors
Discussing various thoughts and urges that can be relapsing warnings (both in a group and one-on-one setting) can be beneficial in identifying signs that can turn into destructive behavior. Having a safe place to discuss topics that you may be ashamed to open up about can lift the weight of the anxiety that can lead to relapse.
When alcohol intake becomes an addiction, it can be a trying task to let go of the urge to have the next drink. Not only does your body go through emotional changes during your detoxification process, but the physiology of your body changes as well. If one has been dependant on alcohol for a longer period of time, the body begins to adapt (while still having a negative impact). So, what happens when you decide to remove alcohol from your system?
A breakdown of alcohol withdrawal
Withdrawal can occur within eight hours of the last drink. The first few days tend to be the most difficult to deal with, as your body is experiencing a drastic change from its previous routine. During this time, you may experience:
What Happens During the Process
While your body is going through treatment and the physical changes of purification are taking place, it is important to be mindful of the emotional changes that will come along with your detoxification process. It is vital to make your mental health a priority in addition to your physical wellbeing.
Emotions that you may feel during this process:
Depression
Fear
Anxiety
Anger
Here Are Four Ways to Help Improve Your Emotional State During Your Detox
The addiction treatment industry has a lot more weight on their shoulders since the increase in opioid misuse. Treatment from a professional treatment center is one of the only reliable ways to address this epidemic. More and more treatment facilities have been popping up in the United States. However, South Florida still holds the reputation as the “rehab capital of the world.”
Benefits of Treatment Centers in South Florida
One of the most difficult parts of dealing with a drug addiction is making the decision to stop using and getting treatment. However, the decision making doesn’t stop there. It might seem easy to just walk into the first treatment center you see, but would you really want to base such an important decision on convenience? Here are a few things you should consider when choosing an addiction treatment center:
The National Institute of Drug Use (NIDA) defines withdrawal syndrome as a predictable group of signs and symptoms that result from either the sudden removal of, or an abrupt decrease in a regular dosage of a drug. Although some of the after-effects of excessive drug use may vary, depending on the drugs used, they usually emphasize the emotional and physical functions that were being suppressed in the first place. Drug withdrawal symptoms can end up to be very dangerous and it is important that anyone going through withdrawal seek professional supervision.
Just like people, recovery processes are not created equal. Makes sense right? Addictions affect people differently. A unique combination of personal history, health conditions and social factors all play a role in drug use. This is why personalized addiction treatments are necessary. Recognizing your unique traits is part of making sure you receive quality treatment.
How People Develop an Addiction
There are many reasons as to how you might develop an addiction to drugs. Due to a family history of substance use or addiction, some people are more susceptible.
Relapse is not uncommon amongst recovering people with substance use disorder. According to the National Institute of Drug Use (NIDA), relapse rates range from 40 to 60 percent. It is possible for an addiction to be cured, or managed, but it’s a long journey ahead. A person with addiction may ask themselves, why did I relapse and what does this mean for my recovery?
Relapse Doesn’t Mean Failure at Recovery
Relapsing means that you are slipping back into the former state you were in before going into treatment. It is normal for someone recovering from addiction to lapse back into drug use.
Going through a relapse shows that you must return to the previous treatment, or try a new treatment. You should reevaluate the events that led up to the relapse in order to prevent another one from happening.
It’s difficult to state the exact percentage of people currently addicted to some form of substance. In 2018, estimates were that 53.2 million people used illicit drugs within the past month. Compared to 2015’s census that recorded little less than 27.1 million, it’s obvious that substance use problem has inclined over the last couple of years.
What is enabling?
Family members should be helpful towards one another. In healthy family relationships, one family member may do the dishes or laundry to help the other person slammed by other obligations such as work. When two or more people share tasks, it’s called being helpful. When you give money to the family member in need, it’s also called being helpful, but enabling behavior towards addiction is in fact something other than help. It’s taking all their responsibilities and tasks they’re capable of doing by themselves so they have more time and resources for the bad deeds.
