Drug Addiction – Is There a Cure?

Is There a Cure For Drug Addiction?

Everyone knows society stigmatizes drug addiction. The person who is caught in the throes of addiction is referred to an “addict,” not as a “person with an addiction problem.” Treatment providers often put aside the individual’s needs as the focus is on dealing with the addiction rather than the person suffering from it.
Addiction is generally referred to as a disease that is treatable, but not curable. In response to the current opioid crisis in the country, federal and state governments focus on making harsher and more stringent laws designed to decrease access to the drug instead of focusing on treatment for addicted individuals.
In general, locking someone away in rehab is often the treatment of choice. The idea is that the rehab releases the person in 30 days and they go to support group meetings several times a week. Then, voila, the person should now be able to use willpower or the help of a higher power, and barring a few expected relapses, be close to a new life free from drugs.
Fortunately, this no longer has to be the norm for addiction treatment. Proven effective treatments focusing on the person rather than on the symptoms of addiction do exist. These treatments view the person as an individual in order to understand his or her problems. The path to an effective treatment solution is very possible.
The real key to a cure for drug addiction is knowledge. Knowledge of how and why you got to the point of addiction, and how you can deal with those issues in order to prevent it from happening again.

Steps to an Effective Treatment Solution for Drug Addiction

As you seek a cure for your addiction, it is important to understand that addiction is a symptom of an issue that you have not yet adequately addressed. It is often just a phase you are going through as you struggle to make sense of why you are self-medicating.
If you are able to answer the questions about how you got there, and how you can fix it, you may discover the condition is reversible. Important steps in the recovery process include:

Detox Program. The first step is to enter a hospital for detox. You may need medications that will help relieve the discomfort of physical withdrawal, which will encourage you to stay in treatment.
Continue with Program’s Prescribed Medications. Your brain needs to adapt to the absence of the abused drug, and medications help your body keep calm and stave off cravings so you can focus on your recovery. Some medications interfere with triggers that may influence you to relapse. Common triggers are certain people or places that you associate with your drug use. There are medications specifically for those dealing with certain addictions, particularly for those who have an opioid addiction.
Individualized Emotional Assistance. During the recovery process, you will need emotional support that will help you progress in your recovery, deal with your issues, and emerge revitalized. Your recovery program should not be boiler-plate but individualized specifically to meet your individual needs. This means discovering what led to the drug use and any other medical or psychiatric needs you might have.
Treatment must address the whole person, not just the addiction. A variety of rehabilitative services must be available in a successful treatment program. This includes medical and social services as well as counseling.

Counseling is often the Key Component of Successful Addiction Treatment

Counseling is necessary so the person addicted to opioids can address personal problems that contributed to the addiction such as:

Dealing with anxiety, depression, obsessive/compulsive disorder or any other underlying mental health issue that contributed to drug use.
Improving a sense of self-worth.
Coping skills for when the need for the drug is triggered.
Addressing issues and conflicts involving family members.
Lack of hope due to past failed attempts at sobriety.
Alternatives to manage pain from distress.