Thousands of people struggle with having a psychological urge or need to consume something heavily in their life. Whether it’s constantly checking social media, drinking, smoking, or indulging in food, everyone has their own vice. However, this dependency is heavily linked with drug addiction or alcohol abuse. Breaking the vicious cycle of any kind of destructive addiction can be extremely challenging for someone to endure by themselves. An addiction is like a leech, where most people do not understand the depth of the problem until it actually affects them. They could simply say to themselves, “just quit” or “stop doing it if it’s bad”, and cannot fully grasp the immense control and power an addiction can have on someone. It is a serious issue and needs to be understood to prevent any deadly consequences.
How Addiction Forms
Using a substance over and over again that is addictive is categorized as obsessive behavior. When that substance is a drug or perseverance beverage, our bodies involuntary build up a dependency over time to crave its effects. After consistent use it causes a dependence with a strong need to drink or smoke, a loss of control from not being able to stop, physical dependence from several withdrawal systems, and a tolerance for needing higher much doses to achieve the same “high”. What first started out as casual drinking at first can often go downhill into a binge habit that causes problems at work, school, with friends, family, and possibly legal forces.
Signs of an Addiction
As a mental urge for drugs or alcoholic increases, so do the physical and behavior signs. Keep a keen eye out for any sudden and unexpected changes in a person’s mood, an odder or secretive personality, any aggression in conversations or body language, or big changes in appetite throughout the day. Other red flags of drug addiction or alcohol abuse may be avoiding eye contact when being spoken to, odd patterns of sleep, worse performance in their classes at school, a less put together appearance, or burn like marks on their lips or fingers. On a college campus, I’ve witnessed many of my peers show signs of a drug addiction or alcohol abuse as they try to conform. A lot of people who do binge drinking or smoking say that it helps them bond with their peers, feel happier and more relaxed, and provides something fun to do when things become boring. Drinking alcohol is or smoking marijuana also is seen by some as the norm, and it’s heavily reinforced by systems like Greek life. What seemed like a moderate activity can quickly grow into weekly wine nights that end with a black out, blunts after class, and mandatory vodka shots every Saturday morning for block.
There also is such thing as a high functioning addict as well who cover up their dependency pretty well. Some tell-tale signs of one, especially if they’re a young adult, is if that they use drugs or drinks to relax after stress or to become more confident at gathering, consume it by themselves in secrecy, get too high too often, run into situations with the local police, or often joke of having an addiction to others.
Getting Help
If you feel that you have developed an urge for addictive substances and want to prevent any negative consequences in the future, it’s in your best interest to seek a rehab professional quickly. It’s easy for friends and family to tell an addict to just quit or “stop being lazy”, but the solution is far more complex as several factors determine if the person can fully recover. With enough alcoholic and dedication though, you can get treatment by seeking a local rehab center, talking to a counselor, or even attending an anonymous support. Seeking professionals can understand how isolating and difficult a substance addiction can feel. They’re trained to hear your thoughts, worries, and goals to get through your problem and develop an action plan to stop giving to the temptation in your head.
Another great way to recover is to replace your old unhealthy habits with healthier ones. Whether you’re attending a skills class, hitting the gym, reading more books, or writing in a diary, doing anything besides grabbing drinks at the bar or lighting a cigarette will help yourself taper off your substance abuse. I also recommend using methods from holistic therapy like meditation, reading into getting higher amounts of nutrition, and taking part in more physical activity. The idea behind holistic therapy is that the body, mind, and spirt are all linked so taking care of all parts will lead to better mental clarity, lower anxiety, and greater energy levels throughout the day. Put your body first and don’t be afraid to say no to a behavior that might be popular. If you own a drug rehab website, you understand that increasing web traffic to your rehabilitation center is vital to ensuring drug users find the help they need. For more information about tips on marketing your drug rehab website, consult Addiction-Rep.
