jasonzakocs

[jasonzakocs]

[jasonzakocs]

[jasonzakocs]

Addiction - How to Address It and Help Those in Need

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a mental health issue that costs the lives of thousands of Americans annually, impacting millions of others. This is regardless of which drug is being abused; alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, opioids or anything else used addictively. At least 21 million Americans have one form of addiction, (most likely tens of millions more) and only 10 percent receive treatment.

Notably, addiction costs the US economy over $600 billion yearly. Most people who are more likely to use addictive substances are between 18 and 25 years old. Moreover, most people with substance use disorder say that they started using addictive substances before they reached 18 years of age.

There are various addiction treatment programs, including outpatient service, Intensive Outpatient Program (IOP), Partial Hospitalization Program (PHP), residential program (rehab), inpatient service, and Medications for Addiction Treatment (MAT). Alcoholics Anonymous being one of the most successful treatment groups and widely known.

Outpatient service involves a patient visiting a health center for nine hours or less weekly to receive treatment while staying at home. Like outpatient service, a patient continues to remain home in IOP. However, they attend between 10 and 20 hours of treatment weekly. With PHP, a patient receives eight hours of treatment daily and continues staying home.

A residential program, commonly called rehabilitation, provides addicts treatment in a residential setting. Treatment periods range from one month to a year. Inpatient service caters to people with serious medical conditions and chronic mental health issues. This program offers detoxification and rehabilitation services in a hospital setting.

There are also support groups, the two common ones being Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Narcotics Anonymous (NA). AA focuses on alcohol dependence recovery, while NA focuses on recovery from various substances, including stimulants, cannabis, opioids, and alcohol.

AA and NA have their meetings, literature, and principles, but they share the fundamental goal of helping individuals achieve and maintain sobriety through mutual support and the 12-step recovery program. AA founders developed the 12-step recovery program, and it is the most popular addiction recovery tool that helps people understand their journey before and after addiction.

Apart from the treatment options and support groups, some recovered addicts, and others who don’t have addiction issues also help others recover from addiction. Helping and supporting others is very powerful in aiding individuals overcome their addiction. It creates a sense of purpose and reinforces their commitment to sobriety.

Supporting those in addiction starts with the caregiver’s emotional, mental, and physical well-being. Caregivers should take care of themselves so that they’re in a good position to help others.

To begin, addiction is a disease that rewires the brain. People need to understand this and avoid making addicts feel ostracized or stigmatized. Additionally, those helping others should learn more about substance abuse, available treatment options, and how to use this information while offering support.

One should also not use emotional language when addressing an addict. A common sentimental statement people make is, “If you love me, you can stop.” This only evokes negative feelings that may worsen the addiction. Instead, one should express concern and give support.

However, there are limits to supporting someone. For instance, it is not advisable to enable another person’s addiction by, say, giving them money every time they ask for it. It is also crucial to allow one to learn from their mistakes so that they develop the skills to resist temptation and speak about their issues without shame.

Recovery support is a lifelong process. Relapse should not be seen as a failure but rather an indication that treatment may need adjustment. Indeed, many people who once struggled with substance dependence go on to live fulfilling lives in recovery.

#Jason Zakocs