So much attention has focused on the consequences of substance use, the growing overdose rate, and the opioid crisis. However, there is also plenty of good news, particularly with regard to addiction recovery services. Focusing on the harsh consequences of substance use disorders hides the surprising fact that addiction is a highly treatable, manageable condition that you can recover from with the help of addiction recovery programs. In fact, the addiction cure is already out there, and countless people get it every year.
While there may be no magic pill on the market as an addiction cure, suffering from a substance use disorder does not have to be permanent. In fact, nearly 75% of all people who suffer from a substance use disorder will recover. In fact, millions already have—22.9 million in the United States today, to be exact–and the elusive addiction cure proved to be high-quality addiction treatment.
What Causes Addiction?
Before looking into how to cure addiction, it’s important to learn more about how addiction happens. For starters, there is no single root cause of addiction. Rather, countless factors contribute to the development of a substance use disorder, like:
- Genetics
- Environmental factors
- Social pressures
- Mental illness
- Brain chemistry
These are just a few potential causes of addiction, and each factor affects others. But ultimately, addiction is a unique experience, as are its causes.
However, there are a few general trends that can lead to addiction. For example, pre-existing mental illness can drive people towards managing their mental health symptoms with addictive substances. But this only provides short-term relief at the cost of creating lasting problems. Researchers estimate that this accounts for nearly a quarter of all substance use disorders. Known as co-occurring disorders, these complex issues can be harder to treat through traditional rehab programming.
In addition, people who start using drugs at a young age are more likely to become addicted. Adolescence is a time of incredible changes in the brain, and early drug use can often lead to developing substance use disorders. Addiction prevention programs can help curb substance use at an early age, preventing future drug problems from occurring.
But the cause for you or your loved one’s addiction could be anything. It could be a traumatic event, genetic predisposition, or a combination of many factors. No matter the cause of your addiction, treatment programs designed for people with substance use disorders can help you to regain control of your life.
The Treatment Process of Curing Addiction
Once somebody has developed a substance use disorder, similar patterns develop that addiction services treat. Addiction professionals help individuals to recover physically, mentally, and socially through targeted programs proven to help with substance use disorders. While there may be no simple, quick addiction cure, this is certainly a way to recover from a substance use disorder. The best treatment facilities take an integrated approach to recovery and collaborate with their clients to achieve personal goals and overcome their unique challenges.
Medical Drug and Alcohol Detox
Drug and alcohol detox programs focus on the physical effects of addiction first: managing withdrawal symptoms, keeping people safe during the early days of recovery, and easing the detox process. A medical detox program can change the first few days of abstinence from a painful and dangerous time to a peaceful reprieve of healing.
People who use alcohol, benzodiazepines, or opioids must attend a medical detox to safely achieve sobriety. That’s because the withdrawal effects of these drugs cause the central nervous system to become dangerously overactive. This can lead to life-threatening seizures and severe discomfort, both of which are common causes of relapse. To stay sober in this vulnerable period of recovery, it’s important to seek a detox program where you will receive medical monitoring and treatment of withdrawal symptoms.
Other drugs, such as stimulants like methamphetamines, are not usually life-threatening during withdrawals. But quitting these drugs cold turkey can still be deeply uncomfortable and make it much harder to quit, which is why medical detox is still recommended as the first step to an addiction cure in these cases.
Inpatient Dual Diagnosis Programming
After the physical effects of addiction are under control, addiction recovery programs shift their focus to the mental and social aspects of addiction. Several evidence-based treatments can help you to manage cravings, build healthy coping mechanisms, and repair the damage that addiction has wrought.
A few examples of evidence-based care include:
- Group Therapy
- Family Therapy
- Relapse Prevention Planning
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy
- Dialectical Behavioral Therapy
- Recreational Therapy
These treatments teach you how to deal with the intrusive thoughts and compulsions that are common with addiction. Therapists and counselors will show you the way and provide the tools necessary, then collaborate with you to put them into action.
For people with a co-occurring mental illness, dual diagnosis care can treat both disorders at the same time. Mental health issues such as depression, anxiety, or trauma can be debilitating to those afflicted, but mental health treatment is profoundly effective. By combining psychiatric care with addiction services, you can expect to see a vast improvement in your mental health symptoms and the best possible chance of addiction recovery.
Staying Sober in the Long Term
Following inpatient addiction care, you have learned the basic tools of recovery. You have gathered the skills required to face the world sober, the coping mechanisms to deal with challenging times, and the knowledge that recovery is possible. But the last ingredient to maintaining abstinence long-term is staying vigilant against the subtle pull of substance use.
Drug and alcohol rehab centers can only lay the foundation for your recovery. In order to achieve long-term sobriety, you will need to keep those skills sharp with continued support. There are a variety of community resources that can help you maintain vigilance, such as:
- 12-Step support groups, such as Alcoholics Anonymous
- Sober-living communities
- Secular recovery groups, such as SMART Recovery
These programs can help you maintain your sobriety after inpatient treatment. Just as importantly, they offer many people a sense of purpose and fulfillment. The key to long-term recovery is about much more than mere abstinence–it is about living a life worth living. Georgetown Behavioral Hospital can help show you the way, but it is up to you to walk the path.
Addiction Services at Georgetown Behavioral Hospital
The search for an addiction cure will go on, with scientists and researchers hoping to find a pill that can cure all ailments. For now, Georgetown Behavioral Health offers the addiction cure we already have: the one that has worked for millions of people and can help you to overcome your addiction as well. Contact us today to learn more about how our addiction treatment programs emphasize holistic health and wellbeing and start your path to recovery today.
To get in touch with one of our knowledgeable admissions specialists at 937-483-4930 or ask your questions online. There’s no simple addiction cure, butt here is a path forward to sobriety and recovery.
