Addiction is one of the most frequently overlooked medical conditions in the healthcare system. There’s a perception that somehow issues related to addiction are not the same as other medical concerns. This is not the case. Addiction is a disease and it’s important for society to recognize how serious it is. One of the major impacts that addiction and drug abuse will have is that it tends to take other people down with it. Other people are impacted by a single person’s struggles with addiction. If you know someone struggling with addiction, we’d like to share some ways you can help them.
What is Addiction?
Addiction is a medical condition where the body is conditioned to believe that it needs something, like drugs or alcohol, to survive. If someone suffers from an addiction to alcohol or drugs, they’ve tricked the pleasure sensors in the brain. The brain believes it needs those pleasure centers to be triggered by drugs or alcohol on a regular basis in order to feel alive. These are the pleasure sensors that release neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin. These are the chemicals that make someone feel good. Aside from drugs and alcohol, other habits that can be addictive are gambling, food, and sex.
The reason not everyone who’s engaged in the above becomes addicted is because some people’s brains are more resistant to this rewiring. Some people might not even find these activities to be pleasurable.
How to Tell if Someone is Suffering From Addiction
If someone is having issues with an addiction, the signs and symptoms often show up in the collateral damage. One way addiction and drug abuse is going to impact someone is professionally. They’ll often be unable to focus in a setting where they don’t have access to drugs or alcohol, resulting in a poor job performance. Many people who suffer from addiction will actually lose their jobs.
Addiction impacts relationships. An addict’s old friends might fall by the wayside because that person spends all of their time getting high. It’s common for addicts to make new friends who are also addicted to drugs or alcohol while in the throws of their addiction.
An addict’s family also is affected by their drug or alcohol use. As financial difficulties start to manifest due to the person’s addiction, family tensions run high. Family members are also going to get upset because their loved one is not spending any time with them. The addiction has totally consumed their life and everything else has been sacrificed. While it’s common to get angry, it’s important to remember that your loved one needs help and isn’t being hurtful intentionally.
How to Help a Loved One with Addiction
If a loved one is struggling with addiction, it’s important to be there for them. Let them know that they’ll never be abandoned. Knowing that they are not alone can make a tremendous difference in the outcome of addiction treatment. Then offer resources to help. This could include a shoulder to cry on, meals, or even access to a hotline. This is going to help someone start the process of recovery.
It’s important to ask for help from trained professionals. Friends and family members are going to be integral to the recovery process; however, it’s just as important to rely on help from objective, medical professionals who specialize in the treatment of addiction. Like the addictions themselves, treatment options come in many shapes and forms. It’s important to find the resources that are right for someone’s addiction treatment needs.
Start With us at Addiction Treatment Solutions
At Addiction Treatment Solutions, we provide an addiction treatment placement service free of charge that assists individuals and families struggling in finding the right treatment for their needs, 24/7. We provide a comprehensive treatment matching service that includes admissions, insurance verification, transportation assistance, and care management that will be with you during the entire duration of your treatment program. If you or someone you know is looking for help with addiction, feel free to contact us today to learn more about how we can help you. We would be honored to help you with your addiction treatment needs.