Like many other countries around the world, the US has dealt with its fair share of substance abuse issues. There are certain hotspots around the country but perhaps none more common than Florida. Cities like Miami and Palm Beach have rampant drug consumption and distribution problems. These substances can ruin lives and negatively tip the balance of society. Change needs to come; fast.
A battle against substance abuse might be one of the most stressful journeys of your life. Drug abuse can easily claim your life while still making the lives of your loved ones miserable. With that said, it’s also imperative to know what to expect as an addict and how to traverse the road ahead. From the addiction to the sobriety process and what to expect from the withdrawal symptoms, we will address some aspects of substance abuse in this article ahead.
The content of this article may be hard to digest for some, but the first step to solving a problem is realizing there is one. Therefore, discretion is advised. Nevertheless, here are five things you need to know about substance abuse.
Rehab isn’t as bad as you think
Hollywood depictions and one-off research have created a negative stigma around the idea of rehab facilities. We don’t deny that organizations throughout the country engage in malpractice; however, those facilities should not negate others’ work. It would be beneficial to re-formulate their ideas about rehab facilities in the society.
Rehabilitation centers like the Palm Beach Institute legitimately help recovering addicts on their journey towards sobriety. They help individuals cope with withdrawal, develop positive psychological cognitions and behaviors, and take care of drug addiction’s physiological aspect. Unfortunately, the physical part of sobriety is often the hardest. Managing weakness, headaches, and seizures can be exceptionally complicated; hence going cold turkeyshould be taken with a pinch of salt.
The stigma around rehab facilities needs to go. Without these institutes, thousands of addicts around the country (and the world) would never have broken free from the clutches of addiction and regained their lives.
Withdrawal is different for everyone
Whether it’s insomnia, anxiety, or physical pain, everyone has their own unique set of struggles that they go through during the withdrawal process. There are so many diverse variations that it’s unlikely that two people will experience the same thing.
Biological predispositions, the intensity of consumption, duration, nature of the substance, etc., are factors that change each person’s experience and make them unique to each individual. Therefore, a one-track process might not be the best way to look at sobriety. Instead, each person and their addiction should be looked at holistically to understand the issues and propose the best route forward accurately.
It would be best not to withdraw yourself at home and seek medical attention instead. However, if you find yourself caught off guard and things take a turn south, you may not be able to call for medical help.
Social dynamics of substance abuse
The role between peer pressure and substance addiction cannot be ignored. Especially around their teenage years, young adults start to experiment with illicit substances, and that’s where it all begins. The other issue is that no one wants to use it alone. Therefore, they recruit and find friends who might be open to using the drug together.
That is where it all begins. Peer pressure doesn’t always look like someone coercing you into starting drugs. It could be something as simple as proposing the idea.
These are things we all know but need to be reminded of. Parents need to monitor what their kids are doing and keep up to date with their social interactions. We would never recommend ‘helicopter parenting’; however, it would be wise to play an active role and stay close to your kids.
Sometimes detaching isn’t a bad idea
Though leaving your job and dropping off the map may not be a good idea nine times out of ten, however, for some people, that one time may be significant. In addition, managing recovery, a job, and social responsibilities all at once might not be possible for some people. It is simply too many things to juggle at once and often leads to burnout and relapse.
Do it if you need to take time off and detach for a bit. Your sole focus at the moment should be to get clean and reclaim your life. If you can’t manage all these things, take time off of your work and spend time recovering.
However, please note that living each day without a purpose can cause significant issues. One of the first negative thoughts to reoccur is using again when the mind wanders. If you plan on leaving your job, make sure you have a day’s plan ready to keep you occupied.
Your mood may take a while to regulate
After you cut the habit and move forward with your life, you need to be very realistic about what comes next. Your mood will fluctuate over the next few months because of the changes in your brain’s chemistry. Once your body is dependent on the substance, you may have issues producing certain chemicals such as Serotonin and Dopamine.
You may break the habit, but the next few months and perhaps even years can be difficult. Many doctors prescribe anti-depressants for post-withdrawal periods.
Though this mood isn’t likely to remain permanently, it may be hard to handle the duration. You may have difficulty dealing with family and friends because of how mentally disengaged you feel from reality. Keep your expectations realistic and stay focused on the years ahead.
Conclusion
There we have some of the most important things you need to know about dealing with substance abuse. We have talked about everything from the stigma around rehab facilities to the realistic expectations you need to keep about your mood. After the acute symptoms come to the long-term symptoms, things taper off.
Stay strong, stay focused and see this time through. Taking a step like this may be extremely difficult but will pay off in the long run. You will make your and your family’s life better in the long run and stand to grow in your life.
