Drug Addiction

The original 12 step formula was developed by Alcoholics Anonymous as a way for people to deal with their powerlessness over alcohol. Since then, other 12 step programs have evolved for a variety of addictions including Narcotics Anonymous, Gambler’s Anonymous, and Al-Anon.

All 12 step programs follow similar patterns. Members meet regularly to discuss their experiences, strength, and hope. One common view is that all members are dealing with an illness and an addiction rather than a bad habit or poor lifestyle. The idea is that recovery will occur by taking individual responsibility for one’s own recovery and relying on the will of a Higher Power while following the 12 steps.

One of the most widely recognized portions of a 12 step group is the requirement that members admit that they have a problem. That’s why many members open their addresses to the group with their name and the admission of their problem.

Attendees at group meetings share their experiences, challenges, successes, and failures. They also provide peer support for each other. Many people who have joined these groups say they found success that they were unable to find before.

The 12 steps as outlined by Alcoholics Anonymous are:

1. We admitted we were powerless over alcohol and that our lives had become unmanageable.
2. We have come to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.
3. We have made a decision to turn our will and our lives over to the care of God as we understand him.
4. We make a searching a fearless moral inventory of our lives and ourselves.
5. We admit to God, to ourselves, and to another human being the exact nature of our wrongs.
6. We are entirely ready to have God remove all these defects of character.
7. We humbly ask Him to remove our shortcoming.
8. We make a list of all persons we have harmed and are willing to make amends to all of them.
9. We make direct amends to such people wherever possible, except when to do so would injure them or others.
10. We continue to take personal inventory and when we are wrong, we promptly admit it.
11. Through prayer and meditation, we seek to improve our conscious contact with God, as we understand Him, praying only for knowledge of His will for us and the power to carry that out.
12. Having had a spiritual awakening as the result of these steps, we carry this message to other addicts and practice these principles in all our affairs.

Members of a 12 step program also make several promises to themselves and to others. These promises are:

• If we are painstaking about this phase of our development, we will be amazed before we are halfway through.
• We are going to know a new freedom and a new happiness.
• We will not regret the past nor wish to shut the door on it.
• We will comprehend the word “serenity” and we will know peace.
• No matter how far down the scale we have gone, we will see how our experiences can benefit others.
• The feeling of uselessness and self-pity will disappear.
• We will lose interest in selfish things and gain interest in our fellow man.
• Self-seeking will slip away.
• Our whole attitude and outlook on life will change.
• Fear of people and economic insecurity will leave us.
• We will intuitively know how to handle situations that used to challenge us.
• We will suddenly realize that God is doing for us what we could not do for ourselves.

Opponents of 12 step programs are put off by the use of the words “Higher Power” and God in their steps and mottos. They say that this is pushing religion on people and is morally wrong if that person doesn’t believe in God in the same way as others do.

However, you should know that AA and other similar groups are not religious groups. That is why the verbage “Higher Power” is used along with the phrase “God, as we understand Him to be”. The purpose of 12 step programs is to simply deliver addicts from their destructive behaviors and help them become clean and sober. It is a spiritual program in nature, not a religious program.

Many people are apprehensive about appearing in front of strangers and sharing their most personal information. Please remember that 12 step programs are anonymous. Only your first name is shared.

If you live in a small town, you may worry that people will recognize you, but keep in mind that those other people are there for the same reason you are and they want to remain anonymous just like you. You may be surprised at the camaraderie you will find when you are with people who share the same experiences that you do.

One of the possible reasons you became addicted to drugs is due to low self-esteem. You need to address self-esteem issues early on in your recovery.

ou can recognize signs of drug abuse in those around you by paying attention to their behavior. Read over the test above and see if you can identify any of the symptoms of a drug problem. Alienation from others, severe changes in behavior, increased defensives are all signs that a user has a problem.

Drug addicts will give up previously enjoyable activities that they would participate in. Their lives will become consumed with getting drugs and using drugs. Their physical appearance will change drastically. They will start missing work or school and the quality of their work will suffer.

To help you identify what type of drug your loved one might be using, here are some common outward signs of specific drugs.

Marijuana
• Rapid, loud talking and bursts of laughter in early stages of intoxication
• Sleepy or stuporous in the later stages
• Forgetfulness in conversation
• Inflammation in whites of eyes; pupils unlikely to be dilated
• Odor similar to burnt rope on clothing or breath
• Tendency to drive slowly—below speed limit
• Distorted sense of time passage—tendency to overestimate time intervals
• Use or possession of paraphernalia including roach clip, packs of rolling papers, pipes or bongs

Stimulants
(Cocaine, Amphetamines, Methamphetamines)
• Dilated pupils (when large amounts are taken)
• Dry mouth and nose, bad breath, frequent lip licking
• Excessive activity, difficulty sitting still, lack of interest in food or sleep
• Irritable, argumentative, nervous
• Talkative, but conversation often lacks continuity; changes subjects rapidly
• Runny nose, cold or chronic sinus/nasal problems, nose bleeds
• Use or possession of paraphernalia including small spoons, razor blades, mirror, little bottles of white powder and plastic, glass or metal straws

Depressants
(Barbiturates, Benzodiazapines)
• Symptoms of alcohol intoxication with no alcohol odor on breath (remember that depressants are frequently used with alcohol)
• Lack of facial expression or animation
• Flat affect
• Flaccid appearance
• Slurred speech

Narcotics
(Heroin, Codeine, Morphine, Vicodin)
• Lethargy, drowsiness
• Constricted pupils fail to respond to light
• Redness and raw nostrils from inhaling heroin in power form
• Scars (tracks) on inner arms or other parts of body, from needle injections
• Use or possession of paraphernalia, including syringes, bent spoons, bottle caps, eye droppers, rubber tubing, cotton and needles
• Slurred speech

Hallucinogens
(LSD, mescaline)
• Extremely dilated pupils
• Warm skin, excessive perspiration and body odor
• Distorted sense of sight, hearing, touch; distorted image of self and time perception
• Mood and behavior changes, the extent depending on emotional state of the user and environmental conditions
• Unpredictable flashback episodes even long after withdrawal (although these are rare)

Dissociative Anesthetics
(PCP)
• Unpredictable behavior; mood may swing from passiveness to violence for no apparent reason
• Symptoms of intoxication
• Disorientation; agitation and violence if exposed to excessive sensory stimulation
• Fear, terror
• Rigid muscles
• Strange gait
• Deadened sensory perception (may experience severe injuries while appearing not to notice)
• Pupils may appear dilated
• Mask like facial appearance
• Floating pupils, appear to follow a moving object
• Comatose (unresponsive) if large amount consumed; eyes may be open or closed

Inhalants
(Glue, Vapor producing solvents, Propellants )
• Substance odor on breath and clothes
• Runny nose
• Watering eyes
• Drowsiness or unconsciousness
• Poor muscle control
• Prefers group activity to being alone
• Presence of bags or rags containing dry plastic cement or other solvent at home, in locker at school or at work
• Discarded whipped cream, spray paint or similar chargers (users of nitrous oxide)
• Small bottles labeled "incense" (users of butyl nitrite)

So you think you or someone you love could possibly be addicted to drugs. You may wonder, “How in the world did it get this bad?”

Stimulants increase alertness, attention, and energy, which are accompanied by increases in blood pressure, heart rate, and respiration.

 Historically, stimulants were used to treat asthma and other respiratory problems, obesity, neurological disorders, and a variety of other ailments. As their potential for abuse and addiction became apparent, the use of stimulants began to wane.

Now, stimulants are prescribed for treating only a few health conditions, including narcolepsy, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and depression that has not responded to other treatments. Stimulants may also be used for short-term treatment of obesity and for patients with asthma.

 Stimulants such as dextroamphetamine (Dexedrine) and methylphenidate (Ritalin) have chemical structures that are similar to key brain neurotransmitters called monoamines, which include norepinephrine and dopamine.


Stimulants increase the levels of these chemicals in the brain and body. This, in turn, increases blood pressure and heart rate, constricts blood vessels, increases blood glucose, and opens up the pathways of the respiratory system. In addition, the increase in dopamine is associated with a sense of euphoria that can accompany the use of stimulants.

 Research indicates that people with ADHD do not become addicted to stimulant medications, such as Ritalin, when taken in the form and dosage prescribed. However, when misused, stimulants can be addictive.

The consequences of stimulant abuse can be extremely dangerous. Taking high doses of a stimulant can result in an irregular heartbeat, dangerously high body temperatures, and/or the potential for cardiovascular failure or seizures. Taking high doses of some stimulants repeatedly over a short period of time can lead to hostility or feelings of paranoia in some individuals.

Stimulants should not be mixed with antidepressants or OTC cold medicines containing decongestants. Antidepressants may enhance the effects of a stimulant, and stimulants in combination with decongestants may cause blood pressure to become dangerously high or lead to irregular heart rhythms.

 Treatment of addiction to prescription stimulants, such as methylphenidate and amphetamines, is based on behavioral therapies proven effective for treating cocaine or methamphetamine addiction. At this time, there are no proven medications for the treatment of stimulant addiction. Antidepressants, however, may be used to manage the symptoms of depression that can accompany early abstinence from stimulants.

Depending on the patient’s situation, the first step in treating prescription stimulant addiction may be to slowly decrease the drug’s dose and attempt to treat withdrawal symptoms. This process of detoxification could then be followed with one of many behavioral therapies.

Contingency management, for example, improves treatment outcomes by enabling patients to earn vouchers for drug-free urine tests; the vouchers can be exchanged for items that promote healthy living. Cognitive-behavioral therapies, which teach patients skills to recognize risky situations, avoid drug use, and cope more effectively with problems, are proving beneficial. Recovery support groups may also be effective in conjunction with a behavioral therapy.

Now that you have an overview of various drugs that can become addictive, let’s see if you or a loved one might have a problem.

Prescription medications such as pain relievers, tranquilizers, stimulants, and sedatives are very useful treatment tools, but sometimes people do not take them as directed and may become addicted. Pain relievers make surgery possible, and enable many individuals with chronic pain to lead productive lives.

Most people who take prescription medications use them responsibly. However, the inappropriate or non-medical use of prescription medications is a serious public health concern. Non-medical use of prescription medications like opioids, central nervous system (CNS) depressants, and stimulants can lead to addiction, characterized by compulsive drug seeking and use.

 Patients, healthcare professionals, and pharmacists all have roles in preventing misuse and addiction to prescription medications. For example, when a doctor prescribes a pain relief medication, CNS depressant, or stimulant, the patient should follow the directions for use carefully, learn what effects the medication could have, and determine any potential interactions with other medications.

The patient should read all information provided by the pharmacist. Physicians and other healthcare providers should screen for any type of substance abuse during routine history-taking, with questions about which prescriptions and over-the-counter (OTC) medicines the patient is taking and why.

Providers should note any rapid increases in the amount of a medication needed or frequent requests for refills before the quantity prescribed should have been used, as these may be indicators of abuse.

While many prescription medications can be abused or misused, these three classes are most commonly abused:

• Opioids - often prescribed to treat pain.
• CNS Depressants - used to treat anxiety and sleep disorders.
• Stimulants - prescribed to treat narcolepsy and attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder.

Alcohol is one of the most commonly abused drug in the United States. For most people who drink, alcohol is a pleasant accompaniment to social activities. Moderate alcohol use—up to two drinks per day for men and one drink per day for women and older people—is not harmful for most adults. (A standard drink is one 12-ounce bottle or can of either beer or wine cooler, one 5-ounce glass of wine, or 1.5 ounces of 80-proof distilled spirits.)

Nonetheless, a large number of people get into serious trouble because of their drinking. Currently, nearly 14 million Americans—1 in every 13 adults—abuse alcohol or are alcoholic. Several million more adults engage in risky drinking that could lead to alcohol problems. These patterns include binge drinking and heavy drinking on a regular basis. In addition, 53 percent of men and women in the United States report that one or more of their close relatives have a drinking problem.

The consequences of alcohol misuse are serious—in many cases, life threatening. Heavy drinking can increase the risk for certain cancers, especially those of the liver, esophagus, throat, and larynx (voice box). Heavy drinking can also cause liver cirrhosis, immune system problems, brain damage, and harm to the fetus during pregnancy.

In addition, drinking increases the risk of death from automobile crashes as well as recreational and on-the-job injuries. Furthermore, both homicides and suicides are more likely to be committed by persons who have been drinking. In purely economic terms, alcohol-
related problems cost society approximately $185 billion per year. In human terms, the costs cannot be calculated.

Alcoholism, also known as “alcohol dependence,” is a disease that includes four symptoms:

• Craving: A strong need, or compulsion, to drink.
• Loss of control: The inability to limit one’s drinking on any given occasion.
• Physical dependence: Withdrawal symptoms, such as nausea, sweating, shakiness, and anxiety, occur when alcohol use is stopped after a period of heavy drinking.
• Tolerance: The need to drink greater amounts of alcohol in order to “get high.”

Although some people are able to recover from alcoholism without help, the majority of alcoholics need assistance. With treatment and support, many individuals are able to stop drinking and rebuild their lives.

Many people wonder why some individuals can use alcohol without problems but others cannot. One important reason has to do with genetics. Scientists have found that having an alcoholic family member makes it more likely that if you choose to drink you too may develop alcoholism.

Genes, however, are not the whole story. In fact, scientists now believe that certain factors in a person’s environment influence whether a person with a genetic risk for alcoholism ever develops the disease. A person’s risk for developing alcoholism can increase based on the person’s environment, including where and how he or she lives; family, friends, and culture; peer pressure; and even how easy it is to get alcohol.

Alcohol abuse differs from alcoholism in that it does not include an extremely strong craving for alcohol, loss of control over drinking, or physical dependence. Alcohol abuse is defined as a pattern of drinking that result in one or more of the following situations within a 12-month period:

• Failure to fulfill major work, school, or home responsibilities
• Drinking in situations that are physically dangerous, such as while driving a car or operating machinery
• Having recurring alcohol-related legal problems, such as being arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol or for physically hurting someone while drunk
• Continued drinking despite having ongoing relationship problems that are caused or worsened by the drinking. Although alcohol abuse is basically different from alcoholism, many effects of alcohol abuse are also experienced by alcoholics.

Although alcoholism can be treated, a cure is not yet available. In other words, even if an alcoholic has been sober for a long time and has regained health, he or she remains susceptible to relapse and must continue to avoid all alcoholic beverages. “Cutting down” on drinking doesn’t work; cutting out alcohol is necessary for a successful recovery.

However, even individuals who are determined to stay sober may suffer one or several “slips,” or relapses, before achieving long-term sobriety. Relapses are very common and do not mean that a person has failed or cannot recover from alcoholism.

Keep in mind, too, that every day that a recovering alcoholic has stayed sober prior to a relapse is extremely valuable time, both to the individual and to his or her family. If a relapse occurs, it is very important to try to stop drinking once again and to get whatever additional support you need to abstain from drinking.

There are some scary things in our world today, but none is more scary than an addiction to drugs and alcohol.  It’s a growing problem in our society, and alcohol and drug addiction has become a tough nut to crack, so to speak.

Drugs and alcohol make people feel good.  When they are able to feel those feelings, they are apt to use more just to maintain that feeling.  Eventually, the drugs and/or alcohol take hold of a person’s life until they are completely controlled by the effects they are used to.  They may realize they have a problem, but when the painful withdrawal symptoms start, using seems like a much better option than suffering.

The United States has declared a “war on drugs”.  This is a great effort, but it might just be too big of an epidemic to control.  The real truth is that if we take a personal interest in healing those around us, we can gain control of the problem one person at a time – if we’re lucky.

Recognizing the signs of alcohol and drug addiction are actually quite easy – when you know what you’re looking for.  While the following signs are just suggestions to look for, don’t take them lightly:

* Chronic bloodshot eyes
* Behavior other than normal
* Always disappearing for long periods of time
* Problems with work or school
* Excessive shaking or tremors
* Financial problems
* Avoidance of social situations
* Spacey or unintelligible conversation

If you recognize any of these signs in a loved one, you should take steps to confront your loved one and try to steer them towards recovery efforts.  The process is not simple, but when you take the time to help them realize that what they are doing is damaging not only themselves but those around them, they will possibly be more open to help.

Alcohol and drug addiction can be debilitating to families all over the world.  It takes hold of lives and can ruin them in an instant.  Drug and alcohol addiction are very serious diseases that should not be ignored. If you think you or a loved one might be struggling with this powerful problem, seek help now!

There are more resources available now than ever before when it comes to drug and alcohol addiction.  Whether you seek out help from an in-patient rehab facility or through a counseling service, it’s imperative that help be gotten in any way.  Drug and  alcohol addiction can be conquered, but first, there needs to be an admission that a problem exists.  That doesn’t mean weakness, that actually means strength!

Many people don’t really consider alcohol a drug.  After all, it is legal to drink – as long as you’re of age.  But the real truth is that alcoholism is a form of drug addiction just as serious and harmful as addiction to other drugs.  Because alcohol is legal to drink, many people just think of alcohol as another beverage.

Drug addiction is defined as an uncontrollable craving for a substance that a person feels they must have in order to live.  Alcoholism is defined in much the same way.  When a person has an addiction to alcohol, they can’t see their life without drinks in it.  The presence of alcohol has become a “given” and they are not willing to give that crutch up without a fight.  The cold harsh reality is that people with alcoholism are drug addicts plain and simple.

Alcoholism causes a person to think that they cannot live without the “buzz” that alcohol gives them.  Alcohol has been classified as a drug by the Food and Drug Administration, so a person with alcoholism does suffer from a drug addiction.

The good news is that there is help for people who are suffering.  Perhaps the most well-known organization that helps people with alcoholism is Alcoholics Anonymous.  This is a private group that meets several times a week and centers on twelve steps of recovery.  Making it through the twelve steps leads to a full recovery from alcohol addiction although it is still a struggle to stay sober.

People who have a drug addiction to substances such as heroin and cocaine suffer from withdrawal symptoms.  People with alcoholism do too.  The far-reaching effects of drug addiction and alcoholism can stay with a person for years making it obvious that the similarities between the two evident.

When you decide to seek out help for your alcoholism, it’s important that you acknowledge the fact that you are also suffering from an addiction to a powerful drug.  Once you face that fact, you can really start on the road to recovery.

Alcoholism is a serious disease just as drug addiction is.  While you may not think that being addicted to alcohol is as serious as being addicted to heroin, it can still affect your body in ways you never even thought of.  Do a little research and pay attention to what the experts say about your problem.

If you think you have an addiction to the drug that causes alcoholism – alcohol – it’s important that you seek help as soon as you can.  You deserve to be healthy and live a long, clean life.  The time to start is now.

Why do some people choose to use drugs when they’re so bad for you?  The causes of drug addiction are as varied as the amount of drugs that are available for use – both legally and illegally.  There is no one cause for drug addiction just like there is no consistent profile of a drug user.

People who have a history of drug use or abuse in their families are at risk for drug addiction problems.  It has been proven that children of alcoholics will exhibit addictive tendencies.  Children of alcoholics or drug users generally have low self-esteem and see their parents escaping from problems using drugs.  When they see this, their minds say that this is the way to act and they themselves become users.

There is also a biological basis for causing drug addiction.  Drugs alter the brain’s chemicals and the way the brain functions.  Drug addiction creates dependence in the brain by changing the brain’s reward functions – the part that reinforces certain behaviors.

Prescription drug addiction is caused by the person’s inability to function without the drug in their system.  People become addicted to prescription drugs because they usually are taking them to overcome some type of pain.  They begin to feel that if they are not taking their pills, the pain will return.

Some people are more prone to addiction than others.  People who have low self-esteem, are often depressed, and who feel they have no control over their lives will often turn to drugs as a way to cope.  They often feel they can’t please the people around them so they have to change themselves in order to fit in.  The change is made easier by using drugs because the drugs transform them into someone and something that they are not.

Stress is often attributed as a cause of drug addiction.  Life can be very stressful no matter who you are.  Some of us are better able to cope with stress than others.  Others still just look for an easy way to forget their stress – and that easy way is through drugs.  Once the drug use starts, it’s often difficult to get away from it because the stresses will still be there once the high is gone, so the user feels he or she needs more drugs to cope.  That type of cycle leads to addiction.

Finally, drugs are easily accessible.  They are available in many places if you just ask around for them.  Because of that easy access, it’s more likely that a person will begin using eventually becoming addicted.
The causes of drug addiction are wide and varied.  The key to stopping drug addiction is to get rid of those causes before they become a problem. 

You can hear it or see it in the news all the time.  When cops bust up a drug ring, they are often hailed as heroes – and they pretty much are.  Drug rings are sophisticated networks of drug dealers who distribute drugs in a widespread area.  They begin with one person responsible for importing or manufacturing drugs.  Those drugs are given to a second level person who distributes to individual dealers who sell the drugs on the street.

The people who run these drug rings are living a lavish lifestyle and profiting off the drugs that they peddle.  Some of the biggest drug ring busts we hear about occur along the coastlines where smugglers will bring over large quantities of drugs from places like Columbia or Costa Rica.

But cops bust drug rings all the time right here in the United States.  A quick “Google” search shows all sorts of news stories about how police have busted up drug rings in American cities.  These busts usually involve intense surveillance and take quite a bit of time in order to build a case against the dealers.

Drug rings are located all over the United States, Canada, and also in foreign countries.  You see, drugs are big business, so when these dealers find a way to increase their traffic and make more money, that’s when they begin to form a drug ring.  When cops go to bust a drug ring, they have spent a lot of time building a case against the people involved.

Drug kingpins who run drug rings find out quite quickly that a bust is a very “expensive” endeavor.  By “expensive”, we mean all assets acquired by the leader will be seized if cops suspect those assets were bought with drug money.  Bank accounts are frozen, and personal property is gathered as the case against the leader gets stronger.

When cops bust a drug ring, the people who are arrested face a pretty hefty sentence as well.  These vary from state to state and from country to country of course, but in general, sentences can run anywhere from 10 years to life in a penitentiary.  They also face hefty fine and their families are inevitably affected.

Busting drug rings is a high priority for not only our federal government, but also for state and local municipalities.  It’s essential for controlling the effects that drugs have on our society.  When cops bust more drug rings, that’s one less chance that drugs will be available for sale and consumption – and then we can begin winning the war on drugs!

Heroin is an addictive drug that is processed from morphine and usually appears as a white or brown powder. Its street names include smack, H, ska, junk, and many others. Heroin use is on the rise and it has become a serious problem in America.

Heroin abuse is associated with serious health conditions, including fatal overdose, spontaneous abortion, collapsed veins, and, particularly in users who inject the drug, infectious diseases, including HIV/AIDS and hepatitis.

The short-term effects of heroin abuse appear soon after a single dose and disappear in a few hours. After an injection of heroin, the user reports feeling a surge of euphoria ("rush") accompanied by a warm flushing of the skin, a dry mouth, and heavy extremities.

Following this initial euphoria, the user goes "on the nod," an alternately wakeful and drowsy state. Mental functioning becomes clouded due to the depression of the central nervous system.

Long-term effects of heroin appear after repeated use for some period of time. Chronic users may develop collapsed veins, infection of the heart lining and valves, abscesses, cellulitis, and liver disease. Pulmonary complications, including various types of pneumonia, may result from the poor health condition of the abuser, as well as from heroin’s depressing effects on respiration.

Heroin abuse during pregnancy and its many associated environmental factors (e.g., lack of prenatal care) have been associated with adverse consequences including low birth weight, an important risk factor for later developmental delay.

In addition to the effects of the drug itself, street heroin may have additives that do not readily dissolve and result in clogging the blood vessels that lead to the lungs, liver, kidneys, or brain. This can cause infection or even death of small patches of cells in vital organs.

 The Drug Abuse Warning Network reports that eight percent of drug-related emergency department (ED) visits in the third and fourth quarters of 2003 involved heroin abuse. Unspecified opiates, which could include heroin, were involved in an additional 4 percent of drug-related visits.

With regular heroin use, tolerance develops. This means the abuser must use more to achieve the same intensity of effect. As higher doses are used over time, physical dependence and addiction develop. With physical dependence, the body has adapted to the presence of the drug and withdrawal symptoms may occur if use is reduced or stopped.

 Withdrawal, which in regular abusers may occur as early as a few hours after the last administration, produces drug craving, restlessness, muscle and bone pain, insomnia, diarrhea and vomiting, cold flashes with goose bumps ("cold turkey"), kicking movements ("kicking the habit"), and other symptoms.

Major withdrawal symptoms peak between 48 and 72 hours after the last dose and subside after about a week. Sudden withdrawal by heavily dependent users who are in poor health is occasionally fatal, although heroin withdrawal is considered less dangerous than alcohol or barbiturate withdrawal.

The reasons people use drugs are varied. Essentially, though, drugs give us a desired effect producing a feeling of euphoria that makes us feel better – at least temporarily. There are hundreds of ways that drugs help people cope with life and each person has their own reason why they choose a certain drug.

Drugs can help calm you down, give you energy, overcome shyness, and avoid feelings of loneliness. They may you feel bolder and want to take risks you wouldn’t normally take. They are used to perhaps fit into social situation and get into a “party” mood and even to celebrate happy occasions.

Medically, drugs are used to alleviate pain, help you to sleep, suppress anger, combat anxiety, and avoid depression. They can be used to cope with stress, stimulate your desire for sex, and lose weight.

Many people report that they began using drugs as a response to peer pressure. Those around them would use drugs, so to fit in, they began using as well.

The ways drugs affect us are countless—for everyone. So much so that often it seems that drugs can cure all our ills and help us overcome whatever bothers us. If that’s all there were to it, we might consider each drug to be some kind of “wonder drug.”

This is where the thought process gets a little skewed. People begin to crave the feeling of euphoria that they get when they use drugs and that’s when it becomes a problem. It can be a vicious cycle. You feel you can’t live without the feelings that drugs give you and that you just won’t be able to cope with life without those drugs. That’s what breeds addiction.

Let’s look at various drugs of choice that people often use and what those specific drugs can do.

People use drugs for a variety of reasons – mostly, though, to numb the pain of everyday life so they don’t have to face it.  Eventually drug use turns to drug abuse and finally to drug addiction.  Most people use the two terms interchangeably, but the truth is there is a difference between drug abuse and drug addiction.

Drug abuse is the use of illegal drugs or the inappropriate use of legal drugs.  People who abuse drugs are using them to obtain a specific feeling – a “high” – that they can’t get from other substances.  Often drug abuse is recreational with the drugs being used to loosen a person up and make them feel like they fit in with the crowd.

Drug addiction, on the other hand, is the uncontrollable use of drugs and the inability to stop using drugs in spite of health or social consequences.  People with a drug addiction are physically and emotionally unable to stop using drugs.  Their bodies have become used to having the drug in the system, and stopping the drug use brings about often painful physical and psychological symptoms.

Drug addiction does begin with drug abuse when an individual makes a conscious choice to use drugs, but addiction is not just "a lot of drug use." Recent scientific research provides overwhelming evidence that not only do drugs interfere with normal brain functioning creating powerful feelings of pleasure, but they also have long-term effects on brain metabolism and activity.

At some point, changes occur in the brain that can turn drug abuse into addiction, a chronic, relapsing illness. Those addicted to drugs suffer from a compulsive drug craving and usage and cannot quit by themselves. Treatment is necessary to end this compulsive behavior.

Many people view drug abuse and addiction as strictly a social problem. Parents, teens, older adults, and other members of the community tend to characterize people who take drugs as morally weak or as having criminal tendencies. They believe that drug abusers and addicts should be able to stop taking drugs if they are willing to change their behavior.  This just isn’t true.

People from all walks of life abuse drugs and become addicted.  We can start combating these problems if we educate ourselves and each other about drug abuse and drug addiction.  It is an ever-growing epidemic that doesn’t have to take hold of people or society.  Drug abuse and drug addiction can be stopped, but only if we start with education.

When a family is dealing with drug addiction, everyone is affected.  Having an addict in the family can put stress and strain on all relationships as well as the family dynamics.  The addiction causes pain, frustration, and anger in all members involved.  Because it does affect everyone, the need for family therapy is so important.

There are many emotions involved in a family when dealing with drug addiction.  You may find yourself feeling angry toward the addict.  This is normal.  You wonder how this happened, why it happened, and what you could have done to stop it.

You may feel depressed and helpless, even responsible for your loved one’s addiction.  This too is a normal reaction.  Often when someone we love is in pain, such as the pain associated with drug addiction, we tend to look for excuses for their behavior.  We take the pain on for them and don’t make them take responsibility for their actions.

To begin with, realize that this is a huge mistake.  The person with the drug addiction was the one who brought it into your family in the first place, and he or she needs to take responsibility for that.  It’s not easy and will be painful for all involved, but once the addict realizes that their actions have consequences, they can take charge of their recovery fully.

Family therapy is a great way to help with drug addiction.  Family therapy consists of all members of the family getting together with the assistance of a trained professional and talking about the issues that all are having when it comes to the addict and the addiction itself.  Family therapy can be intense but amazingly therapeutic as well.  It’s the perfect time to air your feelings in a safe setting with the help of a moderator to keep things on track.

Family and friends can play critical roles in motivating loved ones with an addiction to enter and stay in treatment.  Family therapy is important – especially with teen addicts.  Having the involvement of family members in a person’s treatment program can strengthen and extend the benefits of the addict’s treatment program.

Drug addiction and family is a volatile situation, but one that can be faced and addressed with love, caring, and compassion.  If your family is affected by drug addiction, be supportive and listen with an open heart.  It will help you, those around you, and most important the family member with the addiction.

any articles have been written about drug addiction.  This is definitely a plus if you are looking for information about drug addiction and ways to overcome this problem.  A quick Internet search reveals over four million articles in the archives about drug addiction.

Why are there so many?  Well, because drug addiction is a very real problem in our country affecting millions and millions of people.  We are desperate to find information to help ourselves or our loved ones with an addiction problem and these articles are great sources of facts, figures, and helpful tips to help beat addiction.

Here are a few things to keep in mind when you are looking for drug addiction information through articles you find on the Internet.  First, look at the author.  Who are they?  What makes them qualified to write an article on drug addiction?  Are they credible and reliable?

See if the author quotes specific sources.  There is a lot of false information on the Web, and the last thing you need is to get hold of erroneous data.  This is especially true if you are looking for self-help ways to heal yourself or others.

Does the article provide real information or is it just “fluff” so to speak.  Many writers will use filler words to make their articles look longer and they’re really not presenting you with any new information.  Scan the article quickly and see if it’s something that would pertain to you and your specific situation.

Are there any statistics in the article?  Data is readily available on drug addiction as studies are constantly being conducted so that we can better understand the problem and find ways to combat addiction.  The use of statistics in an article is great, but be sure to look at the date the numbers were compiled.  In 2007, a study that was done in 2000 probably will not present reliable information that can help you.

You will want to find a reliable article that can direct you toward finding more information than what is presented there in 500 words or so.  Does the article send you to a specific drug addiction website for more information or do they just present the information and that’s that?

For example, if you are reading an article about how to find a drug addiction treatment facility, does the article state any specific facilities that you can look at or do they remain unbiased and not mention anywhere?  This is good and bad because you may be looking for a specific name of a clinic but are left on your own to find one.  On the other hand, you don’t want to get information from a one-sided source – meaning someone who has an affiliation with a specific facility.  Then you are only getting part of the picture, and that part may not be right for you.

Drug addiction articles abound, and they can all be helpful.  If you keep in mind these simple tips, you’ll be able to get the information you are looking for when reading that article.

Drug addiction counseling is an essential part of any recovery program.  Addiction is a complex disease that damages the addict physically, mentally, and spiritually. Because of the holistic nature of the illness, the optimal treatment addresses the needs of the addict in many areas. Physical, emotional, spiritual, and interpersonal needs must all be addressed to support recovery.

When you are trying to overcome a demon as huge as a drug problem, drug addiction counseling should be one of the first things you do after you realize you have a problem.  Because of the complexity of the disease, it is essential that you find help as soon as possible in order to have an effective support system while you are going through the recovery process.

Drug addiction counseling can be as simple as contacting a therapist or counselor to talk to or as involved as finding a support group where there are several of you partaking of group therapy.  Either way, you must have some help when going through recovery from drug addiction.

What should you look for when trying to find drug addiction counseling?  You need someone who is certified and experienced with what you are going through.  You may also want to look for someone who is willing to involve your family since they are going to be your primary support system in the first place.

How do you find counseling for your drug addiction?  There are many places you can turn to.  Look in your local newspaper for 12-step groups that might be meeting in your area.  Contact a church minister and ask people you know.  Someone knows how to get you the help you need.

If you really don’t know where to turn to find drug addiction counseling, go online and search the Internet.  There are many, many places that offer online counseling for drug problems that can address your own addiction as well as many others.  The advantage of a community like this is that you are completely anonymous and you are speaking with others who are in various stages of their own recovery.  They can help you, and, perhaps, you can help them too!

Drug addiction counseling is very important when you decide it’s time to kick your drug habit.  If you try to do it alone, you’ll be lacking a very important part of recovery.  You need to treat both your mind and your body.  When you take steps to get drug addiction counseling, you’ll be doing yourself a favor and your recovery will be much, much easier!

Drug addiction is a disease.  There’s no doubt about that.  In fact experts say that drug addiction is more of a brain disease than anything else.  Scientific advances have offered amazing insights into how the brain works and what drugs do to the way the brain functions.  Luckily, however, this disease is treatable and curable.

Although drug use initially is voluntary once an addiction develops, that control is markedly changed.  Imaging studies have shown specific abnormalities in the brains of some, but not all, addicted individuals. While scientific advancements in the understanding of addiction have occurred at unprecedented speed in recent years, unanswered questions remain that highlight the need for further research to better define the neurobiological processes involved in addiction.

Recent studies have increased our knowledge of how drugs affect gene expression and brain circuitry, and how these factors affect human behavior. They have shed new light on the relationship between drug abuse and mental illness, and the roles played by heredity, age, and other factors in increased vulnerability to addiction. New knowledge from future research will guide new strategies and change the way clinicians approach the prevention and treatment of addiction.

When we approach drug addiction as a disease instead of as a choice, the treatment options are greatly increased.  We can research what areas of the brain are affected and find the best methods to address that affliction specifically.  Doctors treat cancer, diabetes, and other disease like this, drug addiction should be no different.

Viewing drug addiction as a disease can also help researchers delve further into genetic propensity to drug use and addiction.  That means we will know whether or not drug and alcohol use is linked to our family history and will be able to tackle the problem before it actually becomes a problem.

There are medications available to treat withdrawal symptoms when a person stops using drugs, but when drug addiction is researched as a disease, scientists will be able to come up with new medications that could actually prevent drug use from becoming an addiction.  Similar to medications that make alcoholics sick when they drink.

There are all sorts of diseases in the world.  There’s no doubt about it that drug addiction is one of them.  We need to start looking at it in that way and then taking the appropriate steps to treat drug addiction just as we would another disease like cancer or Alzheimer’s.

When you or a loved one is suffering from a powerful drug addiction, the possibility of getting help and actually being able to stop using drugs might seem out of reach.  Many people with drug addictions truly believe that they are stuck in the cycle of use and abuse.  They know that help is out there for drug addiction, but feel other people deserve that help, not them.

The truth is there is a reason why there are so many organizations and facilities that help people with drug addiction.  That’s because these places truly believe that everyone who has a drug addiction deserves help.  Alcoholics Anonymous was started because its founder wanted to help other people become free of the hold alcohol has on their lives.  Many rehab facilities were opened for the same reason.

To get help for drug addiction, start with local resources.  Talk with your doctor.  If you don’t have a doctor, find one.  They are going to be your best first contact when it comes to battling and eventually overcoming drug addiction.

In nearly every telephone book in the country, there are drug abuse hotlines that you can call to get help.  These are staffed by sympathetic volunteers who can guide you to the help you are looking for.  Plus, you’ll stay anonymous and be able to talk freely.

Talk with your family about your drug addiction.  They will be your support system as you travel down the road toward sobriety.  Having their support will be instrumental in making a full recovery.  They can also help you find a facility or program that will fit your specific needs in overcoming drug addiction.

There is a lot of great self-help information on the Internet in the form of articles and books.  You can also research rehab facilities online.  There is really a lot of difference between treatment centers, so if you are considering this route for your recovery, find one that fits your particular needs.

If you think you have a possible drug addiction, it is so important to seek out help – both for your sake as well as that of your loved ones.  Drug addiction doesn’t have to be a way of life.  It is possible to stop the cycle of use and abuse and live a full, healthy life.  When you seek out help for drug addiction, you are doing a very brave thing, but more importantly, you are taking control of your life instead of letting the drugs take control of you!

Often, poems and inspirational sayings can help lift spirits and focus on the important things in life.  When you are battling a drug addiction, poems can help keep you focused and on track with recovery.  It can motivate you toward action and getting help for your addiction.

Perhaps the most well-known poem is “The Serenity Prayer”:

Grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change
To change the things that I can
And the wisdom to know the difference

Since drug addiction requires people to leave their old life behind in order to recover, the next poem called “Begin Again” is quite inspirational:

One of the best things we can do in our lives is
Begin again

Begin to see yourself as you were when you were the happiest
Begin to remember what worked for you and what worked against you
Begin to try and re-capture the magic that is life
Begin to live a lifetime each day as you did when you were a child
Begin to forget your baggage, the problems that don’t matter anymore, the tears that cried themselves away, and the worries that are going to wash away on the shore of tomorrow’s new beginning

Tomorrow tells us it will be here every new day of our lives
If we are wise, we will turn away from the problems of the past
And give the future and ourselves a chance to become the best of friends

Sometimes all it takes is a wish in the heart to let yourself

Begin again

~ Raul Garcia

People with a drug addiction can find some beautiful words to live by in a poem.  It can speak to them and motivate them to action.  For example, this next poem tells us of hope and letting go:  “Two Days”:

There are two days in every week
About which we should not worry
Two days
That should be kept free from fear and apprehension

One is yesterday with all its mistakes and cares
Is faults and blunders, its aches and pains

Yesterday has passed forever beyond our control
We cannot undo a single act we performed or erase a single word we said
Yesterday is gone forever

Then there is tomorrow
With all its possibilities, it’s adversities, its burdens, its rewards

Tomorrow’s sun will rise
Either in splendor or behind a mask of clouds
But it will rise

Until it does, we have no stake in tomorrow
For it has yet to be born

That leaves today
Anyone can fight the battle of just one day
It’s when you add the burdens of yesterday and tomorrow
That you break down

It’s not the experience of today that drives a person mad
It’s the remorse or bitterness of something that happened yesterday
And the dread of what tomorrow might bring

Therefore, it only makes sense
For peace of mind and hope
Live simply one day at a time
Live today!

~ Raul Garcia

If you are struggling with a drug addiction, try writing your own poem.  Look inside your heart, see what the addiction is doing to you and express your feelings in a poem.  You may just find that you can inspire yourself!

Many people struggling with drug addiction think that recovery is nearly impossible for them.  They’ve heard the horror stories of painful withdrawal symptoms, they can’t imagine life without drugs, and they can’t fathom actually being able to get through a recovery effort.  But people do recover from drug addiction – every day in fact.  But they don’t usually do it alone.  They have lots of help.

Help with drug addiction recovery can come from many different places in the form of loving family and friends, drug treatment programs, and drug rehab facilities.  Recovery is a long process that requires a commitment from a lot of people, but when you get help with your drug addiction, recovery is a very real possibility.

Drug addiction recovery entails more than just getting over the physical withdrawal from drugs, it also involves a healing of the mind and the mindset that started you towards drug addiction in the first place.  Recovery is a spiritual process that needs to take place in the mind, heart, and soul.

Recovery comes about after a long period of time.  The initial phase is abstinence or not using the drug.  Abstinence eventually moves into recovery as the addict begins to change and grow in positive ways.  Abstinence requires a decision, recovery requires effort.

Once you have gone through the abstinence phase with withdrawal from the drug, you can then move on to mental recovery.  This type of recovery has to do with issues like brain function and brain chemistry.  It involves changing your attitudes, belief systems, and rational thoughts so that you don’t start using drugs again.

Emotional recovery from drugs is a very complex part of the healing process as well.  This part of recovery has more to do with your feelings than anything else.  Emotional recovery involves learning to deal with feelings openly, honestly, and responsibly. It includes learning to express and resolve feelings in appropriate and effective ways. For most people in recovery, emotional recovery can take years.

Finally, you’ll need to recover from drug addiction spiritually.  Even if you are not a religious person, spiritual recovery has more to do with your attitude toward life and how you want to live that life.  When you begin to recover spiritually, the way you look at the world changes:  fear is replaced by faith, self-pity turns to gratitude, resentment becomes acceptance, and dishonesty turns to honesty.

You can choose to undertake your drug addiction recovery at a rehab facility or through a 12-step program, but you truly do need to seek out the help of others if you want to have a full recovery.  Very few people are able to recover from drug addiction on their own.  Don’t be afraid to ask for help because you can have a successful recovery from drug addiction once you do!

Have you ever thought about what drug addiction rehab really means?  The words are thrown around in the media, in government, and in our schools, but what exactly is rehab for drug addiction?

In its simplest form, drug addiction rehab means quitting drugs and learning how to live a drug-free life.  However, it’s much, much more than just quitting drugs.  Various drugs have different effects on the body and mind just as certain people are prone to addiction to certain drugs.  Treatment can vary according to which drug is involved as well.

Drug addiction rehab can take the form of behavioral, or cognitive, therapy, medication, or a combination of both.  It depends on a lot of factors that will determine which treatment will work best.

Behavioral therapy offers addicts strategies to coping with their drug cravings.  It teaches them ways to avoid drugs and prevent relapse.  This type of therapy also teaches them how to deal with relapse should it occur.

When a person's drug-related behavior places him or her at higher risk for AIDS or other infectious diseases, behavioral therapies can help to reduce the risk of disease transmission. Case management and referral to other medical, psychological, and social services are crucial components of treatment for many patients.

The best programs provide a combination of therapies and other services to meet the needs of the individual patient, which are shaped by such issues as age, race, culture, sexual orientation, gender, pregnancy, parenting, housing, and employment, as well as physical and sexual abuse.

Treatment medications, such as methadone, LAAM, and naltrexone, are available for individuals addicted to opiates. Nicotine preparations (patches, gum, nasal spray) and bupropion are available for individuals addicted to nicotine.

Medications, such as antidepressants, mood stabilizers, or neuroleptics, may be critical for treatment success when patients have co-occurring mental disorders, such as depression, anxiety disorder, bipolar disorder, or psychosis.
Drug addiction rehab can occur in a variety of settings, in many different forms, and for different lengths of time. Because drug addiction is typically a chronic disorder characterized by occasional relapses, a short-term, one-time treatment often is not sufficient. For many, rehab is a long-term process that involves multiple interventions and attempts at abstinence.
Rehab is probably the best course of action when trying to beat an addiction.  It doesn’t have to take place at an in-patient facility, but it does offer the best success rate when it comes to beating drug addiction and leading a drug-free life.