In the US, 21 million people have at least one addiction, usually drug-related. The problem is that only 10% of these people are getting proper treatment for many reasons.
Some of them have no access, and most of them are simply unable to move themselves to take action. And some just refuse to change.
If you are reading this article, you are either of the following.
- Someone researching
- Someone who is struggling with drugs
- Someone who knows someone struggling with drugs
Nevertheless, you are in the right place to learn a straightforward way on how to stop drug addiction. And we hope that for whatever purpose you are reading this for, someone is getting any amount of valuable help.
But before we dive in, we have to define drug addiction so that nobody is getting the wrong message.
What is Drug Addiction?
Drug addiction is the next step to drug abuse.
While drug abuse is using drugs in a controlled manner but having adverse consequences by doing so, drug addiction is doing the same thing but more frequently and with worse effects on the user’s life.
For example, if you drink six beers tonight and have a hangover tomorrow that disables you from doing your job properly, you have an abuse problem. But if you continue doing so every day, even if you keep on being nauseated and having to bear headaches daily, you are addicted.
Drug addiction is when you keep on using drugs, no matter how painful and uncomfortable it is making you and the people around you.
Here’s a checklist to have a primary self-diagnosis for drug addiction.
- You take drugs or alcohol every day.
- Your schedule is based on your habit.
- You are having a hard time doing responsibilities.
- You always have to finance your vice.
- You are having trouble with your financial life.
- You are having trouble with your social life.
- You are having health problems due to your drugs.
- You no longer enjoy anything else but your drugs.
- You usually isolate yourself so you can keep on doing drugs.
If you have checked at least one of them, you are most probably having a drug addiction problem.
Now, how do you stop this?
1. Acknowledge that you have a problem.
You cannot solve a problem that you do not think you have. And for most people, drugs have become a solution and not the problem.
Maybe you use drugs to overcome stress, anxiety, or depression. But this short-term remedy causes more harm than benefit, and you should know that.
If you don’t think you have a problem because you can still bear the physical, psychological, financial, and social adverse effects, here’s a glimpse of the reality of your possible future.
- You are highly susceptible to cancer and diseases that will cause you constant pain and discomfort.
- You will eventually cause harm and abuse to people around you.
- You will potentially suffer a significant loss of finance.
- You can quickly die by overdose.
- You might fall victim to death by accident that can include someone you care about.
- You can commit crimes that can bring you to prison.
Hence, it is vital that you acknowledge first that you have an addiction problem. When you see that taking drugs or drinking alcohol can bring nothing but bad things to you, your life, and the people around you, you should be able to find the motivation to make a move and turn on a new leaf.
For some people, they are able to acknowledge this themselves. If you are having questions, it would be best if you asked someone you can trust to help you assess if you are already problematic with drugs and alcohol.
And that’s where the next step comes in handy – help. You will need help if you want to change things for the better.
2. Acknowledge that you need help.
With drug addiction, you have become your own antagonist. If the pains and discomforts caused by the drug don’t stop you from using it, then you are already in an almost unbreakable vicious cycle.
You will need external help.
You cannot do this on your own.
Fighting addiction is like fighting with yourself. Your bodily and mental system is so used to drugs and alcohol that you are effectively and constantly craving for the highs and effects of your substance.
For most people, the battle against addiction can simply be never done alone. On the other hand, whether you can go and DIY things or not, cessation and changing things for the better is better done when you have someone to help you.
3. Get help.
Call a loved one or someone you trust to help you get professional help. This way, you will have a better chance of making things right.
Why?
Let’s say you can stop using the drug. Then you will have to get through withdrawal which is often painful and uncomfortable, and for severe drug addicts, deadly.
Those who have been taking drugs in high doses for so long have their body and brain systems too used to the substance that removing it will cause an imbalance that can be life-threatening.
What you need is to enrol yourself into a proper addiction detox center. Not only will you have medical assistance, but you will be able to sustain your cessation effectively.
- You get 24/7 monitoring so that no withdrawal symptoms will cause you harm.
- You will have prescription medicine to help you deal with pains and discomforts – this way, you won’t need your drug anymore.
- You won’t be around things that trigger you to think about using your drug.
- You will access therapy that will help you deal with underlying problems that can cause you to use drugs.
- You will have a long-term planned recovery program that will significantly make cessation effective even after your stay in the facility.