Drug Addiction

People don’t start using drugs with the intent to become addicted.  Drug addiction can be a sneaky foe sneaking up on a user before he or she knows it.  Addicts didn’t set out to destroy their lives intentionally.  All they wanted to do was have a little fun, escape a little stress, feel a little bit more normal.

But drug addiction is a very real consequence of drug use.  For many, drugs seem to be a means of averting emotional and/or physical pain by providing the user with a temporary and illusionary escape from or way to cope with life's realities.


Example, an individual tries drugs or alcohol. The drugs APPEAR to solve his problem. He feels better. Because he now SEEMS better able to deal with life, the drugs become valuable to him. The person looks on drugs or alcohol as a cure for unwanted feelings. The painkilling effects of drugs or alcohol become a solution to their discomfort.

Inadvertently the drug or alcohol now becomes valuable because it helped them feel better. This release is the main reason a person uses drugs or drinks a second or third time. It is just a matter of time before he becomes fully addicted and loses the ability to control his drug use. Drug addiction, then, results from excessive or continued use of physiologically habit-forming drugs in an attempt to resolve the underlying symptoms of discomfort or unhappiness.

When a person is suffering from drug addiction, they are unable to control their urges to use drugs.  They consciously KNOW that drugs are bad for them and in their hearts, they want to quit, but by the time addiction has taken control, it’s virtually impossible for them to do so.  Their bodies have become used to the drug and going without it is a painful proposition.

Using drugs can turn into a double-edged sword.  People start using drugs to escape pressure and guilt from everyday life, but then they are mentally stressed because of their unethical behavior and the only way they know to escape those feelings is to take more drugs.  It’s a vicious cycle.

Drug addiction has taken hold of almost 35 percent of the American population, and that number is just growing.  With effective treatment, recovery from drug addiction is possible, but it takes commitment and effort.  A person doesn’t become addicted to drugs overnight, and becoming drug-free won’t happen overnight either.  The good news is that a drug-free life is just around the corner – when you go looking for it!

The effects of drug addiction are far reaching and go way beyond just affecting the life of the addict.  Drug addiction has an effect on families, companies, schools, and friendships.  It also has an effect on the body of the addict and could possibly affect the health of those around the addict.

People who use drugs experience a wide array of physical effects other than those expected. The excitement of a cocaine high, for instance, is followed by a “crash”: a period of anxiety, fatigue, depression, and an acute desire for more cocaine to alleviate the feelings of the crash. Marijuana and alcohol interfere with motor control and are factors in many automobile accidents. Users of marijuana and hallucinogenic drugs may experience flashbacks, unwanted recurrences of the drug's effects weeks or months after use.

Sharing hypodermic needles leads to an increased risk of HIV and some forms of hepatitis.  That, along with increased sexual activity among drug addicts can greatly increase the incidence of people becoming infected with AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases.

There are over 10,000 deaths directly attributable to drug use in the United States every year; the substances most frequently involved are cocaine, heroin, and morphine, often combined with alcohol or other drugs. Many drug users engage in criminal activity, such as burglary and prostitution, to raise the money to buy drugs, and some drugs, especially alcohol, are associated with violent behavior.
The user's preoccupation with the substance, plus its effects on mood and performance, can lead to marital problems and poor work performance or dismissal. Drug use can disrupt family life and create destructive patterns of codependency, that is, the spouse or whole family, out of love or fear of consequences, inadvertently enables the user to continue using drugs by covering up, supplying money, or denying there is a problem.
Pregnant drug users, because of the drugs themselves or poor self-care in general, bear a much higher rate of low birth-weight babies than the average. Many drugs (e.g., crack and heroin) cross the placental barrier, resulting in addicted babies who go through withdrawal soon after birth, and fetal alcohol syndrome can affect children of mothers who consume alcohol during pregnancy. Pregnant women who acquire the AIDS virus through intravenous drug use pass the virus to their infant.
Drug abuse affects society in many ways. In the workplace it is costly in terms of lost work time and inefficiency. Drug users are more likely than nonusers to have occupational accidents, endangering themselves and those around them. Over half of the highway deaths in the United States involve alcohol.
Drug-related crime can disrupt neighborhoods due to violence among drug dealers, threats to residents, and the crimes of the addicts themselves. In some neighborhoods, younger children are recruited as lookouts and helpers because of the lighter sentences given to juvenile offenders, and guns have become commonplace among children and adolescents. The great majority of homeless people have either a drug or alcohol problem or a mental illness—many have all three.
Drug addiction has an effect on all parts of life for the drug user, the family, and society as a whole.  The time to get help for an addiction is NOW before its effects become so far-reaching, they cannot be recovered.

The role of the family when dealing with drug abuse and addiction is a huge one.  Family therapy can have a huge impact in conquering the drug abuse and addiction that has affected, most likely, every aspect of your family dynamics.  It’s not an easy road to walk on, but when family therapy is implemented, you all will learn how to deal with drug abuse and addiction in a healthy and productive way.

When your loved one is in a rehab clinic, you will likely be asked to attend family therapy sessions on site.  This is an extremely important part of the recovery process.  You may be hesitant to attend these sessions, but rest assured that they will be life-affirming for not only you, but your loved one as well.

Often, the person who has the addiction is feeling alone and withdrawn from the family.  That could be the reason why he or she began using in the first place.  People who abuse drugs are looking for a way to fit in – a tool to help them be part of something when they feel alone.  That often has to do with feeling alienated from the family.

When you participate in family therapy, you are telling your loved one that you care about them and their recovery and that it is important to you.  If you find yourself resistant to participation, just keep in mind that you are there to learn and to help.  It is important to show your support when a loved one has an abuse or addiction problem with drugs.

Family therapy can actually strengthen your family in ways you never even considered before.  What family can’t use a little advice and guidance when it comes to their lives?

In today’s world, dysfunction is a family dynamic that is all too common.  When you are participating in family therapy for drug abuse and addiction, you are saying that you want something to change within that family dynamic and make it better than it is.  You may think you have the “perfect” family, but no one really does.  A little soul searching can go a long way – especially for the family member who is struggling with abuse and addiction.

Substance abuse affects families – there’s no doubt about that.  Whether your loved one is in an inpatient or outpatient program, it’s essential that you obtain family therapy for drug abuse or addiction in some shape or form.  You’ll all be much better for it, and your loved one will have an easier time becoming drug-free.

When you see someone you love struggling with an addiction to alcohol, helping them recover can be a touchy situation.  Seeing a loved one suffer with alcohol addiction can be painful for both you and them, but recovery is not only possible, but within reach as long as you’re willing to help them along the way.

Believe it or not, alcohol is a very powerful drug.  While it suppresses the central nervous system, it also makes people feel very relaxed which can lead to some pretty erratic behavior.  Look for the following signs in a loved one that may indicate they have an addiction to alcohol:

* Excessive pre-occupation with liquor
* Avoiding activities because they are drunk
* Not wanting to participate in functions that don’t have alcohol available
* Sneaking away for long periods of time and then returning with glazed eyes or erratic behavior
* Slurred words
* Excessively blood shot eyes
* Drinking large amounts of alcohol just so they can get the same feelings

Many people who have an addiction to alcohol will deny they have a problem.  As a person who loves them, it’s up to you to help them realize that their drinking is affecting not only their life and their health but that of those around them.  An intervention might be necessary to help your loved one realize that they are addicted to alcohol.

Helping a loved one recover from alcohol addiction is a tall order – even for the most experienced person.  It takes a lot of strength and a lot of persistence to help your loved one realize that they actually need the help you are offering.

Recovery is a difficult process, but it can be made easier with the support and caring that can be supplied by family and friends.  When you are sincere in your effort to help, your loved one has the best chance of recovering from their addiction to alcohol.  Often, people with addictions feel alone and unloved.  Showing your support can make all the difference in a full recovery.

Your loved one’s addiction to alcohol did not happen overnight.  That means that recovery won’t happen overnight either.  It takes time, love, understanding, and support.  The fact that you have concerns about this person you care about is a huge step forward for them and for you.  Once they know they have your unconditional support, they are more likely to step forward and seek recovery.

Helping a loved one recover from alcohol addiction can be a painful process.  When you have a sincere desire to help them heal, you will become an integral part of their recovery process.  Everyone needs support at some time in their life.  There’s never been a better time to offer up YOUR support than helping them recover from an addiction to alcohol!

If you suspect a loved one of having a drug problem, where do you go to find information?  Information on drug addiction can be found in a variety of places. Even if you are the one with the addiction – when you have as much information as possible about this disease, you will be better equipped to deal with it and overcome it.

First and foremost, start with the Internet.  There is so much information on the worldwide web; you can even get a little bit overwhelmed.  However, it’s usually better to have too much information rather than not enough.  Do a quick search on your favorite search engine for “drug addiction” and then spend some time reading through the websites you are given.

Look for books on the subject of drug addiction.  Books contain a lot of relevant information that can help when addiction is part of your life.  There are even some great downloadable e-books on the Internet that can give you instant information about the disease of drug addiction.

Go to your local library and see what resources they have available.  Libraries offer more than books these days.  They have access to documentaries, pamphlets, and magazines regarding drug addiction and recovery.  They also often can provide more extensive information regarding specific drug addictions like alcoholism or methamphetamine use.

Check with your local police department.  Most cities have police personnel who are specifically in charge of drug information in the schools such as the D.A.R.E. program.  They are always very eager to share information with you about drug addiction in hopes that spreading the word will help curb the problem.

Talk to a doctor about drug addiction whether it’s you who has the problem or someone you love.  Physicians have much of the latest information regarding drug addiction and dependence.  If, for some strange reason, they don’t, they will be able to direct you to someone or someplace who has the information you are looking for.

Many churches also have extensive information regarding drug addiction – especially if those churches host 12 step programs.  Talk to the clergy person who presides over the church and ask their advice.  Even though they are religious people, they are not blind to the problems of society and often have some very pertinent advice to offer regarding drug addiction and recovery.

When you are dealing with a drug addiction – yours or another person’s – having all the information you can get can make the difference between a successful recovery and one that is fraught with obstacles and blockages.

When you have a friend or a family member who is struggling with drug addiction, often staging an intervention can be an effective way to help them face their addiction and get help.  Intervention involves getting a variety of people together who have been affected by the user’s addiction in a neutral location and telling the user how their addiction has affected their lives.

Intervention isn’t an easy process and it’s certainly not an easy situation.  It requires extensive planning and meeting prior to the actual day and knowing what you want to say and how you want to say it.

If you are thinking about an intervention, you first need to get the help of a professional – someone who is experienced in drug abuse and addiction and someone who can effectively moderate the intervention as it is going on.  This professional can not only help the drug user but he or she can help you too as you deal with your feelings about the whole thing.

You may initially be apprehensive and confused.  You may be angry or hurt.  You may be afraid that when you confront the user about their habits that they will hate you for it.  Know that this is a real possibility – at least at first.  The whole idea behind an intervention is to let the user know that when they use drugs, their addiction affects more than just them.  It affects those around them, and they need to know exactly how.

There is no absolute right way to intervene in someone else's life. In fact, there is a school of thought that argues that any form of intervention is abhorrent, a violation of free speech and of an individual's right to choose. Nevertheless, as individuals and as a society we are always influencing others whether or not we want to, and sometimes we decide to intervene purposefully.

A simple intervention is done when you want the person with the drug addiction to get help for their problem.  A crisis intervention is done when there is a behavior or behaviors that have reached dangerous proportions like the threat of death, use of weapons, or being arrested.  The point of crisis intervention is to step in, calm the crisis, and restore safety to all involved.

In an intervention, all attention is focused on the person with the drug addiction.  Participants are encouraged to be completely honest, even brutally honest, as they related how the addiction has caused them problems or concern.  The atmosphere will be uncomfortable and even angry, but this will subside as the addict begins to realize their addiction is bigger than him or her.

Intervention for drug addiction is the most loving, powerful and successful method yet for helping people accept help. A family intervention can be done with love and respect in a non-confrontational, non-judgmental manner. Drug addiction affects more than just the addict.  A family intervention is often the answer, the only answer. It can be done. It can be done now.

Celebrity singer Johnny Cash is one of the most prolific and respected singers in the history of country music.  What some people don’t know is that Johnny Cash has struggled with drug addiction for much of his professional life.  Why would such an amazing and popular singer have a problem with drug addiction?  For the same reasons that everyday people struggle with the same addiction – pressure and stress.

Celebrities are not given a free pass out of the stressors of life.  They have to deal with the same problems that everyday Joe does, only their stressors are much larger and much more life changing.  Try to imagine how you would feel if you had to make a decision about a multi-million dollar contract or which song would be the best one to put on your album so you can gain popularity and fame?

The truth is that Johnny Cash is just like you and me.  And when he was offered drugs as a way to cope with life, he did what millions of people do every single day – he succumbed.  He found a way out, a way to cope, a way to deal.  It’s a natural human need – something to help along the way when life just seems like too much to bear.

The drug addiction that took hold of Johnny Cash started in the 1960’s when he began drinking heavily and started using amphetamines and barbiturates.  It became a vicious cycle.  He used drugs in the morning to “pick him up”, drugs in the evening to “help him sleep” and alcohol in between just to cope.  All the while, this man was making amazing music that the whole world loved.

Drugs, including alcohol, are the easy ways out of actually having to face things in life that we would rather not face.  They take away pain, they make life seem less intense, and they help us become the person that we want to be.

The problem is that drug addiction takes hold and we are unable to control our urges when it comes to our drug of choice.  Eventually, Johnny Cash got hold of his drug addiction and learned that life isn’t something to be avoided – it’s something to be embraced.  He got the help he needed and went on to live a long life with many successes even as late as a few years before his death.

Johnny Cash was not only one of our most popular country music singer, he was a person who overcame his drug addiction and lived his life without the haze of drugs.  He is someone to be looked up to – despite his faults.  We all have them, but we don’t have to pay for them forever.  Johnny Cash is a prime example of that.