Addiction Help
Addiction can be troublesome to deal with, especially when you aren’t convinced you can overcome it on your own. A high number of people relapse before they even manage to make a full recovery. This is why addiction help is necessary, as it ensures you will remain on the right track.
What Is Addiction?
Addiction is a psychological response of your brain towards a substance or a behavior. It is a dysfunction of the brain that revolves around the memory of a reward. Your body craves a certain substance or behavior and compulsively tries to repeat that feeling.
Addictions may take various forms. They can be physical or behavioral. Physical addictions are often related to substance abuse, most notable when substance withdrawal occurs in your body. Behavioral addiction is based on activities and is linked to substance abuse (although not necessarily).
For example, a person with porn addiction will only be addicted to the behavior. However, nicotine addiction may have both physical and behavioral roots. People may experience withdrawal and cravings sometimes after their last cigarettes, but they will also have that habit of picking up that cigarette in order to smoke.
The Common Signs of Addiction
The main sign of addiction is an inability to keep in control when it comes to a substance or behavior in particular. However, certain changes might also be telltale signs that someone is dealing with an addiction. Here are the main signs to look for:
The physical signs may be broken down as follows:
- Under-active or overactive state (depending on the drug that was consumed)
- Red eyes and dilated pupils
- Speech patterns becoming repetitive
- Sudden weight changes (weight loss or weight gain)
- Excessive sniffing or constantly having a runny nose (without attributing it to a cold)
- Looking pale on a constant basis
- Unusual body odors as a result of poor body hygiene
- Feeling of sickness when the substance begins to wear off (i.e., headaches, shakiness, and constant sweating)
- Insomnia and disrupted sleep
Behavioral signs of addiction may include the following:
- Compulsive using and cravings
- Losing control over how much substance is being used
- Continued use, even if it is causing them problems
- Missing school or work in favor of consuming the substance or engaging in the activity
- Isolating from others and being secretive about the activities
- Financial problems, due to spending all the funds on the substance
- Seeking out social situations that encourage a substance or a behavior
- Defensiveness or putting the blame on someone else for the substance abuse
- Constantly finding excuses and denying that there is indeed a problem
Asking For Help
Asking for help is something that every person struggling with an addiction should do. When addiction is already advanced, you might no longer be able to control your impulses. The chances are that you already tried to quit several times on your own but failed.
Addictions get worse the more you leave them alone. Your body begins building up a tolerance, and you will end up consuming more of the substance than you did before. A person suffering from alcoholism may drink a few glasses of whiskey in one night, and as their addiction progresses, they will start downing the whole bottle.
This is why it is important to ask for help when you come to terms with your addiction. By getting help on time, you prevent your addiction from getting even more out of control.
The Benefits of Asking for Help
Getting help comes with many advantages. Whether you decide to go for inpatient or outpatient therapy, here are some of the reasons why getting help might benefit you:
- You Receive Support
Quitting by yourself is never easy, mainly because you do not have the motivation or someone who is able to push you to be better. However, when you reach out for help, you know that you took a step – and you also know that there are people out there that want to help you out.
- You Get Supervision
Giving in to your addiction is very easy when no one is looking at you. Many people decide to get over an addiction, only to be thwarted by withdrawal symptoms. “Just one more and I’m really quitting,” is what most people with an addiction say to themselves.
However, when you opt for help, the temptations are taken away from you. You’ll be under constant medical supervision, which means you will have little to no chances of relapsing during withdrawal.
- Multiple Therapy Methods
Different addictions will need different methods of therapy. Quitting cold turkey has its risks, and people might not know the best ways to recover from an addiction. That being said, therapy centers will know what treatment methods to use in order for you to get over your addiction efficiently.
Dealing With Addiction Long-Term
Addiction does not end the moment you are finished with the detox process. The cravings remain even as the substance exits your system. The behavior will still be there, and a previous addict will have the temptation to succumb to the craving.
Studies show that an estimated 40% to 60% of addicts go through a relapse after they get “clean.” This is because the craving is still there – so, the moment you pass an area of temptation (i.e., a smoking area or a bar), the temptation may become unbearable.
This is why addiction needs to be addressed in the long term as well. Even after your body goes through detox, therapy might still be necessary to ensure you do not slip back into addiction. Without therapy, the chances of a relapse become much higher.
Finding Addiction Help With Real Deal
Getting over an addiction is not easy, but Real Deal can help you. Real Deal can offer the facilities necessary for a smooth recovery process, along with the treatment courses necessary. Rehab is realized in full comfort, with live-in managers and daily meetings occurring in the comfort of the home for your benefit. Contact us today and start on your journey towards recovery!