Identifying an Addiction: How to Know Who Needs Treatment

header curve background image

Identifying an Addiction: How to Know Who Needs Treatment

Millions of individuals struggle with their drug or alcohol addiction every single day. An ongoing addiction will not only harm you, but it will also hurt your loved ones. If you are ready to take those first few steps towards a sober and fulfilling life, then here are some tips to help identify addiction and determine what your options are for treatment.

How To Know If You Need Treatment?

It can be difficult to understand why some people become addicted to drugs or alcohol while others do not. Addictions are incredibly complex diseases that will physically alter one’s mind and body. Those that are addicted generally become dependent on the substance over a series of increasingly dangerous steps. This begins with the initial experimentation and casual use of the drugs or alcohol. From there, an individual may begin to use the substance more often and find themselves on the verge of an addiction. The use of drugs or alcohol becomes an addiction when you no longer have control of the habit. For these individuals, professional treatment is the surest way to permanently break free from the addiction.

How To Identify Addiction

While no two addictions are identical, there are some common signs that you or a loved one may need to seek help. Maintaining a constant supply of drugs or alcohol and feeling that they are a necessity within your life is one clear warning sign of dependency. You may also find that an addict’s personality is changing with no clear reason why. When the subject of quitting drugs or alcohol comes up, addicts will often become defensive or agitated. As the addiction becomes more severe, these side effects will become more pronounced. You or a loved one may begin to engage in risky activities in order to obtain the drugs or when under the influence of drugs or alcohol. If any of these sound familiar, then it is time to begin considering your options for treatment.  These are only some of the tips to identify addiction.  Each person reacts to addiction differently and will show different symptoms and signs.

Finding the Right Treatment

The thing that all addicts should remember is that they can seek help at any time. No one should ever wait until they are going through serious legal or health issues before exploring their treatment options.. Depending on the severity of the addiction and how long it has been taking place, this process may need, to begin with, detox. Detox is the process of allowing the body to flush out the last of the foreign substances and naturally balance itself. During this period, an addict will generally experience a range of withdrawal symptoms, and this is why it should always be overseen by a professional. Some of the most common withdrawal symptoms from drug or alcohol addiction include tremors, nausea, vomiting, insomnia, irritability, and anger.

Addiction Treatment in the USA

While detox can be important, it will not help you permanently change your life. This is why many transition from detox directly into an inpatient facility for 30 days or longer. These facilities range from simple apartments to lush town-homes and provide guests with the services that they need to rebuild their life from the ground up. This often includes meeting with an addiction counselor, healthy meal plans, group therapy, exercise programs, meditation, and more.

If you would like more information on how to identify addiction and find treatment, call our toll-free number today at .

Add Your Comment