Substance abuse is an illness that takes a toll on not only the victim’s health but almost all aspects of his life. He becomes unable to carry out any of his daily tasks or pay attention to anything because his mind becomes consumed with the thoughts of when and how he will get his next fix. This unhealthy behavior affects his family and the other people in his life as well. Drugs and alcohol damage the user’s body physically and mentally. Some of the most common issues include weakening of the immune system, and when the body’s immunity becomes weak then it automatically becomes prone to many more diseases and infections, some people face damages to kidneys and liver, respiratory problems, neurological and gastrointestinal issues as well as cardiovascular problems.
In addition to the afore mentioned physical health issues, the mental problems caused by substance abuse include depression, paranoia, anxiety, aggression, memory problems, and hallucinations, among other things.
Source: alinalodge.org
Contents
Overcoming substance abuse
Overcoming alcohol or drug addiction is a struggle that many people must go through every day because of how common these substances have become and due to their relatively easy availability. Even teens can get their hands on these vile substances these days easily. The important thing to know is that all hope is not lost, and a victim can still make his life better where he, first of all, has to admit that he has a problem and needs help. This is a very important step. Recovery from substance addiction is not a short process and needs patience and constant effort.
Rehabilitation centers, for this purpose, set up programs for individuals where they are provided with utmost comfort and help in their recovery process. The process itself goes on step by step because just as addiction to drugs happens over time, the recovery also needs time so that the body can heal at a slow pace. Look at this site, https://impactrecoverycenter.net/
Source: CrestviewRecovery.com
Rehabilitation centers
The residents in rehab centers are provided with the kind of environment that helps breed enthusiasm. Some rehab centers focus on the patient’s recovery through spiritual methods after which they will feel a sense of power. This power is not materialistic in any way, but more along the lines where it helps the patient feel that he is in control of his life, and he can make himself better and get rid of his addiction. These programs are very thorough, and they make sure that each aspect that can help the patient recover in any way is addressed properly, for example, they focus on the diet, exercise, mindfulness, mental and physical health of the patient. There are instructors that help in yoga and workout routines, psychologists and psychiatrists that help the patients talk through their worries and issues, with their special focus on addressing the root cause of his problems that led him to turn to drugs or alcohol as a form of escape.
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Treatment plans for drug addicts
People who get addicted to drugs often feel that the only solution to their problems is using more drugs but that is false. In the recovery process, the patient goes through detoxification at first in which all the illicit drugs or alcohol are removed from his system. When these substances are removed from the body, the patient goes into a withdrawal. The duration of withdrawal depends upon several things like the length of time of addiction, any medical conditions a person might have previously, genetic makeup or family history, the type of drugs or alcohol the patient was addicted to, and so on. A patient can get very sick and dehydrated during withdrawal which is why the doctors are alert and monitor him round the clock in case of emergencies. They provide psychological and medical therapy to the patient to help stabilize him during this process as well.
Finally, when all the harmful substances are out of his system, then his treatment is started. The treatment plan is also set up by the doctors after thoroughly checking his physical and mental condition as well as his medical history to avoid any mishap during the treatment. It is also helpful if the patients get to experience a spiritual awakening. This spiritual experience can help them see their lives in a brand-new light and from a different perspective after which they might find solutions to their problems and eventually stop using drugs and alcohol to avoid further suffering.
When addiction gets out of hand, it poses a serious health hazard and needs to be addressed accordingly. It is not a wise idea to try and detox the patient at home because professionals and doctors are much more equipped and experienced at handling any dangerous situation and stabilizing the patient. Sometimes, the symptoms of withdrawal can worsen, and the doctors must use the help of medication as well. As mentioned before, spiritual awakening is a very positive and helpful aspect as it helps in giving a purpose to his life. Sometimes, patients have mentioned or complained about feeling empty or disconnected from their lives even though their recovery programs are going very well, later when they experienced their spiritual side, they realized that this was the missing piece from their lives.
Source: Medium.com
Recovery and relapse
No matter how difficult the recovery process seems, it is important for the patient to deal with it patiently, keeping in mind that it is ultimately for his benefit so that he may become healthy again and live a better life. It is also extremely helpful if the patient has the constant support and love of his family members and loved ones as even a little support can go a long way. If there are hard times when he thinks about relapsing, the love, care, and support shown by his family can act as an anchor and help him stay off those vile substances and prevent his relapsing. Otherwise, relapse will render all the efforts of the convalescent as useless as he falls into the pit of drugs again, especially because recovering after a relapse is even harder on the patient.
