Addiction is a disease that affects millions of people worldwide. We see examples of addiction in movies, TV shows, and unfortunately, sometimes in one’s real life.
While sometimes these media do a good job of portraying this disease, there are a lot of other important facts about addiction that are sometimes not covered in the movies. We might see a man with drug addiction, willing to do anything for a hit and who hates his family in a lot of movies.
This is not always the best representation of this group of people because what we don’t see are the underlying causes of that addiction. Here are five things that you should know about addiction and those suffering from it.
1. Addiction Is a Disease, and You Can Get Addicted to Anything
Unfortunately, a common stigma around this very real, chronic disease is that the people suffering from it simply lack the morals to know that what they are doing is wrong. Many people see addiction as a weakness of the victim, but this is far from the truth.
Not all addicts are even addicted to drugs or alcohol, which we commonly think of when we think of addicts. In truth, a person can be addicted to anything like shopping, the internet, cigarettes, hoarding, and caffeine.
2. Recovery Is Possible
Addiction is a chronic disease, meaning that the affected person will have to work hard for their whole life to fight against relapse. However, recovery from addiction is a very real possibility.
Many people, including those suffering themselves, think that addicts are helpless. However, as shown in this website from Clear Recovery Center, with group therapy, family support, and individual progress, an addict is able to break through the addiction and into recovery.
3. No One Knows What Causes it
There are likely a number of factors that can contribute to someone being an addict in their life.
It is commonly believed that it can be a combination of things like genetics, trauma, family history, co-occurring mental disorders, and social pressure from either the family or the peers. While there is not one cause of addiction, there are many ways to break the cycle.
4. You’ll Need Supervised Recovery
Addiction can be fatal, but in some cases, so can unsupervised recovery.
It is generally recommended that you quit drugs in a professional drug detoxification center, so they can help ease the pain of withdrawal. But it’s not just drugs that require supervision. It is absolutely crucial that you receive supervised help when quitting drinking alcohol or benzodiazepine-class of drugs.
With alcohol and higher-level drugs, detox can cause severe withdrawal. Symptoms of withdrawal can be so severe that they turn life-threatening. Overall, it is a better idea to detox with knowledgeable professionals than on your own.
5. An Addict Will Likely Feel Alone
Part of the disease is that the person affected by addiction will likely feel like they are all alone in the world. Many of these substance-abusers will feel like they are the only ones going through this trying time, but they are wrong.
In just the United States, there are a reported 23 million people with an addiction to drugs or alcohol alone. With these kinds of numbers, an addict is never alone, but it is also important to let an addict know that you are there for them to combat this feeling of hopelessness.
If you or someone you know struggles with addiction, it is important to remember that recovery is possible. By following the steps and working hard, these people can carry on to lead full and happy lives.
Do not let movies and TV shows convince you that alcoholics and drug addicts are heartless and crazed. Instead, remember these five facts about addiction and remember that they are just people struggling with a very real and very serious disease.
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