The 7 Steps Necessary to Overcoming Drug Addiction
To beat drug addiction, what are the necessary lessons that must be learned? What does the addict need to gain in the way of skills, physical or moral strengths, abilities?
To transform a drug addict into a productive and stably drug-free person is quite an accomplishment. There are some necessary changes that must be made, by the addict, before that goal can be reached.
Factors which MUST be addressed:
1. First and foremost, drug use must cease.
This seems so obvious that it need not be mentioned. This might require medical help during the initial withdrawal, but usually can be accomplished comfortably and without using dangerous drugs.
2. Poisonous drug and drug residues must be removed from the body.
This is called detox. But the word detox has wrongly come to mean just staying off drugs for a short period. That does not did the body of all the toxins built up over years of drug abuse. Never settle for anything less that complete cleansing of the body.
3. The addict needs to gain the ability to feel comfortable in social situations without alcohol or drugs.
Communication skills and simple ways to communicate effectively must be learned as these are usually poorly known to a drug or alcohol addicted person.
4. A regaining of personal integrity is a very important part of recovery.
The addict must be able to feel good about himself or herself. They must have self-respect enough to look others right in the eye. This is gained through the understanding of what k
5. Getting out from under the weight of past misdeeds.
In order to change unacceptable behavior, it must be recognized. So a “coming clean” about past activities has long been known to help. This is one of the most powerful of all these steps, and one of the most necessary to full recovery.
6. A method of proceeding in life must be learned.
If the person is to refrain from drugs forever there should be fewer than usual surprising circumstances. The unexpected can be unsettling and in the past, the addict turned to drugs to deal with surprises. An effective treatment should teach methods of not only predicting future events, but controlling them to a large degree.
7. Finally, goals are needed to provide needed direction and purpose in life.
Setting sights on a better future does more than simply raise the mood, it designates activity, it defines borders and keeps a person focused on pro-survival endeavors. A worthwhile and attainable goal can provide the push, the impetus that carries a recovering addict right through bumpy periods.
How Can I Help My Son Or Daughter Quit Drugs?
This is the call I get the most and it is also the easiest question to answer. How can you help your son or daughter get off drugs? Get them to treatment, NOW.
This may sound like it is over reacting, but when a young person is unable to quit drugs on their own, it means that their addiction already become more than they can handle.
The truth is, you cannot handle their addiction for them. Only the addict can stop using drugs and that is not an ability the parent can give to them. They must gain for themselves the strength of will, the courage and the reasons to quit drugs.
You can give them information that explains the damages that drugs do, show them photos of addicted persons on the street, in hospital or graveyards, and it will rarely be enough by itself to turn them around.
When addiction has set in, it is too late for just drug education, or a “good talking to.”
If addicted, they need treatment. That is the bottom line and I wish it were otherwise. I have tried too many times to talk someone off of drugs. It might seem that you are making headway, there may be tears and hugs and huge ‘thank you’s, but without sending this person to a successful, drug-free rehab program, you are just spinning your wheels. That is the hard truth.
The best time to attack addiction is always right now. I have seen hesitation to act have fatal consequences.