Drug addiction is not a flaw of your character or a sign of some weakness: overcoming substance abuse and dependency requires more than willpower. Abusing illegal or prescribed drugs can cause brain changes, resulting in overwhelming cravings and a drive to use that makes any real recovery seem unrealistic. Read on to learn more about the Outlook for Addiction.
However, no matter how terrible your condition appears or how many times you’ve tried and failed before, rehabilitation is always possible. Change is always possible with the right therapy and support. But when you stop taking your drug of choice, you may experience both physical withdrawal symptoms and mental side effects within a week.
For many people battling drug or alcohol addiction, the most difficult step toward recovery is admitting that they have a problem and making the decision to change. It’s natural to be skeptical before you quit. Committing to sobriety requires several changes:
- who you let into your life
- how you view yourself
- what you do in your free time
- the way you handle stress
- the prescription and over-the-counter medications you use
Outlook for People with Substance Use Disorder
Substance use disorder (SUD) is a mental illness that affects brain functioning and behavior, resulting in the inability to limit the use of legal or illicit drugs, alcohol, or medications.
Substance abuse is a lifelong disease. But people currently addicted can recover and lead productive lives. Help is necessary for the long-term recovery process. Different treatments work for different people. Whether you have a problem with illicit or prescription drugs, the addiction treatment plan should be tailored to your individual needs. You must choose a treatment program that feels right to you.
Addiction impacts many aspects of your life, including your personal relationships, employment, health, and psychological wellbeing. The effectiveness of treatment depends on adopting a new lifestyle and treating the underlying causes of drug abuse. For example, your opioid addiction may have resulted from the need to control pain or cope with stress; in this case, you will need to learn healthy ways in order to manage pain and stress.
How Common is Substance Use Disorder?
Drug misuse and addiction have long been associated with a negative stigma. While medical discoveries have transformed the way we talk about addiction, millions of Americans try drugs for the first time each year, including alcohol, marijuana, cocaine, prescription opioids, and heroin.
In recent years, different studies of American adults showed that drug use disorder is common, that it co-occurs with other mental health problems, and is often left untreated. The recent study, funded by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA), a part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), discovered that around 10 percent of Americans have had a drug use disorder at some point in their life.
Almost 23 million Americans need treatment for SUD. Unfortunately, only 10 percent of those who struggle with substances receive treatment.
Where to Get Help?
There are a wide variety of addiction treatment options available to choose from. These treatment programs range from medical detox and inpatient care to 12-step meetings, group therapy sessions, pharmacotherapy, intensive outpatient program (IOP), and teletherapy.
A medically supervised detox or a lengthy stay in rehab is not necessary for everyone. Age, drug use history, and any underlying medical or mental health issues all play a role in determining the type of treatment you require. In addition to mental health professionals and therapists, many clergy members, social workers, and counselors provide addiction treatment services.
What are the Best Therapies and Support Groups for Addiction Recovery?
Behavioral therapy is one of the most common forms of treatment for substance abuse, and it is widely used in the long-term recovery process. A general behavioral therapeutic approach has evolved into many useful therapies. These consist of:
- Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT)
- Contingency Management (CM)
- Motivational Interviewing (MI)
- Dialectal Behavioral Therapy (DBT)
- Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR)
- Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT)
- Individual therapy, Group therapy & Family Therapy
- Matrix Model
On the other hand, mutual self-help groups comprise a range of programs, the most prominent of which being 12-step programs (e.g., Alcoholics Anonymous, AA; or Narcotics Anonymous, NA) and Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART Recovery).
Are There Any Long-Term Effects of Drug And Alcohol Abuse?
Binge drinking and continued drug use in large amounts are associated with many health problems, which include:
- Intentional injuries (firearm injuries, sexual assault, domestic violence)
- Unintentional injuries (car crashes, burns, drowning)
- High blood pressure
- Sexual dysfunction
- Negative feelings towards self and others
- Lower self-esteem
- Brain Damages
- Cancer of the mouth and throat
- Malnutrition
- Gastritis
- Ulcers
- Liver disease
Can Substance Addiction Come Back?
Substance abuse is a “relapsing condition.” People who are recovering from this condition are more likely to relapse. Recurrence might occur even years after you have stopped using medicines.
Because there’s a chance you’ll relapse, you’ll need to stay on track with your treatment. Your healthcare professional should examine your treatment plan with you and modify it as your needs change. Inform your healthcare providers if you have a problem with prescription medicines, including opioid addiction. They can assist you in locating alternative pain control solutions.
It’s important to remember that relapse doesn’t mean that drug treatment didn’t work. Just do not quit trying. Call your sponsor, talk to your therapist, attend a meeting, or make a doctor’s appointment. Look at what triggered the relapse and what you can do to avoid it in the future.
Is Drug Abuse Fatal?
Substance abuse can be fatal. Since 1990, the number of drug overdose deaths in the US has more than tripled. If left untreated, overdose or unsafe behavior while under the influence of drugs could result in death. Treatment can assist people in recovering from addiction and avoiding serious health consequences.
Outlook for Addiction Recovery
A force that is not always apparent lurks behind the decision-making process that leads to detox, treatment, and recovery. Everyone has unique impulses that are shaped by their life experiences. These urges drive our progress in life. They are qualities of ourselves that arouse the spirit inside us, defining our character via our activities and behaviors. The opportunity to improve yourself can make all the difference in your life, from your inner growth to your overall attitude. When you evaluate your perspective and the factors around you, you can steer those impulses toward a healthy and joyful recovery life.
Understanding of Impulses
To comprehend what drives you, you must first understand why people have various impulses and motions in their lives. It all starts with perception. Each of us has a unique perspective on life, and when that perspective is skewed by things like substance abuse, our perspective shifts. Similarly, removing substances from your life shifts your perception.
To change your perspective, you must first change your thinking. And to regain a positive outlook, removing substances from your body is important.
How Substances Change Your Perception
Every person has a unique attitude that shapes their life decisions. This mindset includes the constraints and boundaries we impose on ourselves to keep us from engaging in certain unhealthy behaviors. When substances are introduced to the bloodstream, the barriers are more difficult to break down without help, and this difficulty increases with continued substance use.
Once metabolized, substances flow through the bloodstream and can be swiftly absorbed or carried throughout the body. They soon start affecting your body in a variety of ways. When these side effects cause you to behave as you would not ordinarily, your substance use may have advanced to a substance use disorder.
When Substance Breaches the Barrier
When substances cross the mental barrier of a human, the perception of the brain is affected, as is cognitive thinking. This can change your overall universal outlook on life. When a substance alters your perspective, it becomes extremely challenging to set goals or make correct decisions on a day-to-day basis.
Readjusting Your Perception and Choosing the Positive Way
When someone is battling addiction, their perception is that it makes them feel good, which leads them to want to do it again. However, the higher levels of substances in their bloodstream have negative effects that could be fatal. Understanding the harmful side effects of substances is critical since they affect your perception of life and influence your decision-making abilities.
Choosing to get treatment can educate you to stimulate your inner growth in a positive direction, improve your perspective, and realign yourself using strategies such as meditation that affect your mentality in a good way.
Live a Fullest Life by Taking Right Next Step
Meditation, concentration, and reasoning can provide the same exhilaration as drug usage. For many people, these methods are the best way to eradicate substances from their bodies and live their lives to the fullest.
When you identify that the substance is negatively affecting your perception, you can begin to develop proactive plans and go forward with detox. By starting on the road to recovery, you can positively adjust your outlook, have meaningful relationships, and enhance your self-confidence and decision-making abilities.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the recovery rate for addiction?
National Institute on Drug Abuse in 2020 found that 3 out of 4 people who experience addiction eventually recover. So, that makes the addiction recovery rate 75 percent. Though, it may take some time for them to reach full remission.
What percentage of people who go to rehab are successful?
An estimated 43% of patients who attend drug rehab successfully complete their treatment programs, while the other 16% are sent to different rehab facilities for further treatment. Those who complete substance detoxification have a cumulative success rate of 68 percent in rehab.
What is the average time spent in rehab?
Based on your unique needs, there are several basic treatment options. The following are the average lengths of rehab programs:
- 30-day program
- 60-day program
- 90-day program
- Extended programs, such as sober living homes or halfway houses
What happens after you come out of rehab?
A person in recovery will return to life after detoxification and inpatient rehabilitation. This covers job, family, friends, and leisure activities. Researchers report that most relapses happen within the first six months after rehab. Understanding your triggers can help you better prepare to challenge difficult situations ahead.
Let The Recovery Team Help You Live Life to the Fullest
Life is worth taking a chance on changing yourself and refocusing on a clearer and healthier path. If you or any of your family members are having a difficult time with substance use, finding professional help can ease this lifelong addiction recovery process.
The Recovery Team is the best treatment center that believes you can move past the faded memories and find excitement in your life.
For additional resources to learn more about how you can make the right movements through detox, treatment, and recovery plan, contact our staff at (800)-817-1247.
