Drug addiction is non-discriminatory and can affect anyone. However, many people ask if there is anything that can be done to make someone less likely to become an addict or if there is a cure for addiction. While it is true that some people will have more of a predisposition for taking drugs than others, there’s always a risk of generalizing, mainly because of widely held misconceptions about addiction.
In an effort to clarify the nature of addiction as an illness, we’re going to take a look at some of the factors that can contribute to someone becoming addicted to drugs or alcohol and how that can be prevented.
Prevention of Drug Addiction
As the saying goes, ‘prevention is the best form of medicine’ and this is especially true of addiction. The best way of preventing addiction is by educating people at a younger age, as childhood is often a factor in substance abuse. Anyone who dabbles with drugs risks becoming addicted although there are some factors experienced during childhood that may make someone more vulnerable, such as:
- Exposure to drugs as a child due to a parent or parents using
- A traumatic of difficult event such as parents divorcing or moving home
- Learning difficulties or disabling medical conditions
- Bullying at school or among peers
In the case of children, recognizing the red flags that could lead to them misusing or abusing drugs enables professionals to provide preventative counseling. Many adults with addiction issues have developed problems due to not having processed significant events or circumstances that occurred earlier in their lives. Providing children with a route to counseling from a young age is important in preventing addiction from developing.
Naturally, there are older people who also go through traumatic events that they are unable to process, such as the death of a partner or divorce. Some will have joined stressful professions that have exposed them to trauma such as the military or emergency services. As mentioned at the beginning of this article, addiction doesn’t discriminate and can affect everyone at different points in their lives.
Receiving counseling immediately after a trauma can be beneficial in preventing someone from turning to drugs to self-mediate. It’s worth bearing in mind that preventative measures can only be taken when someone is showing the potential to become addicted through their behavior. If an individual is making efforts to conceal their drug taking, it is possible to miss the window of opportunity where preventative therapies may have been effective. If someone is not able to reach out for counseling following a traumatic event, they risk not getting the help they need before they develop a dependency.
Is There a Cure for Addiction?
Addiction is more than a physical illness and often requires a lifetime to recover from and in that sense, it can’t be cured. However, it is eminently possible to successfully treat addiction and someone can go on to live a happy and healthy life with the ability to manage their illness.
Although it’s important to accept there is no cure for addiction, it doesn’t mean that a sufferer faces a lifetime of relapse and addiction challenges. The right kind of drug rehab empowers patients to handle their life in recovery and also provides an important support network to assist in preventing relapse.
There are a few ways someone with addiction can prevent relapse when they’ve left rehab including:
- Practicing sobriety – the only way to be truly free of the influence of drugs is by staying clean and abstaining from using completely.
- Ongoing support –a solid support network is crucial for patients when they have returned to their daily lives.
- Continued therapy – regularly attending both individual and group sessions is particularly beneficial in addressing the stressors that have the potential of leading to relapse.
A Healthier and Happier Lifestyle is Achievable after Addiction
Although there is no hard and fast cure for addiction, it is crucial that sufferers know that there is light at the end of the tunnel. Negativity plays a huge role in driving addiction and drug rehab makes significant strides towards replacing bad behaviors and attitudes with more positive ones. Patients in rehab have the benefit of learning coping skills that can be employed throughout the rest of their lives in recovery. For people who are considering taking the first step towards sobriety or who have recently embarked on the journey at drug rehab centers, it’s important to keep personal goals in sight throughout drug addiction treatment for a better chance of success.