QG5 MYTHSb9
ABOUT DRUG ABUSE AND ADDICTION
l. "OVERCOMING ADDICTION IS A SIMPLY A MATTER OF WILLPOWER."
Prolonged exposure to drugs alters the brain in ways that
result in powerful cravings and a compulsion to use.
These brain changes make it extremely difficult to quit
by sheer force of will.
2. "ADDICTION IS A DISEASE• THERE'S NOTHING YOU CAN DO ABOUT IT."
Most experts agree that addiction is a brain disease,
but that doesn't mean you' re helpless to it. The brain
changes associated with addiction can be treated and
reversed through therapy , medication, exercise, and
other treatments .
3. "ADDICTS HAVE TO HIT ROCK BOTTOM BEFORE THEY CAN GET BETTER."
Recovery can begin at any point in the addiction procegg
and the earlier, the better. The longer drug abuse
continues, the stronger the addiction becomes and the
harder it ig to treat. Don't wait to intervene until the
addict has lost it all.
4. "YOU CAN'T FORCE SOMEONE INTO TREATMENT; THEY HAVE TO WANT HELP."
Treatment doesn't have to be voluntary to be successful .
People who are pressured into treatment by their family,
employer, or the legal system are just ag likely to
benefit ag those who choose to enter treatment on their
ovm. Ag they sober up and their thinking clears, many
formerly resistant addicts decide they want to change.
5. "TREATMENT DIDN'T WORK BEFORE SO THERE'S NO POINT TRYING AGAIN."
Recovery from drug addiction is a long process that often
involves setbacks. Relapse doesn't mean that treatment has
failed or that you're a lost cause. Rather, it' g a signal
to get back on track, either by going back to treatment or
adjusting the treatment approach.
Olg
treatmentmagazine.com
cdnpix.com