Drug addiction is an extremely serious issue, whether it is narcotics of some sort or kind including alcohol. Every year, several thousand lives continue to be taken worldwide by addiction. Sometimes, drug addiction might not only pose a danger to the user but to the people around him/her as well.
Drug addiction can destroy professions, relationships, marriages, friendships, and other social ties. It is understood that addiction takes an important toll on the basic health and safety of the individual and loved ones.
However, just because someone is drug-addicted doesn’t mean that they can’t get come clean again. It is, in truth, never too late for opioid addiction to be resolved especially with the help of someone close to you.
There are many ways you can help someone close to you to free him or herself from drug addiction. But before we dive into that, let’s look at the causes and symptoms of drug addiction. It can help you better understand and help your sibling or friend who is a drug or alcohol addict.
What Are The Causes Of Drug Addiction?
In order to help someone overcome drug addiction effectively, it is important to understand why a person is addicted in the first place. There may be a couple of motives for taking drugs/alcohol. The established leading causes usually peer pressure and stress. Below are several other opioid abuse causes:
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- Mental Illnesses: Among these, the chances of a person becoming a drug addict are increased by depression, ADHD, and post-traumatic stress disorders.
- Family Backgrounds and History: If the person has a family member in the bloodline who also happens to be a drug addict, drug addiction is more likely to ensue.
- Early Use: There is a greater chance of becoming an addict in people who appear to start using drugs at a younger age.
- Trauma History: People with a traumatic past are more likely to smoke, drink or continue using drugs and become an addict.
What Are The Symptoms of Drug Addiction?
To help someone overcome addiction before it becomes worse, it is important to recognize the signs of addiction at an early stage. Drug addiction is reasonably easy to recognize, whether it is a person assessing himself or someone keeping an eye on their loved one. Drug abusers carry some signature signs or symptoms that can be detected and recognized by their behavior. They include:
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- Excessive urges: People who are addicted will be compelled to use the drug many times a day and will be having strong urges. Over time, their dose often continues to increase, and these impulses will keep increasing with time.
- Procuring the drug: Addicts appear to behave out of character most times. In order to procure a new drug, they are willing to do anything just to get that satisfaction. Often, they also go as far as trying risky or dangerous things such as stealing. It is a strong indication that the person in question is extremely addicted to the drug.
- Withdrawal symptoms: An abuser will suffer a relapse or withdrawal symptoms following unsuccessful attempts to procure the drug. During the earlier stages, it is very clear as their body is deprived of that particular drug it wants. Symptoms can include insomnia, irritability, changing moods, depression, anxiety, aches and pains, cravings, fatigue, hallucinations, and nausea. The person may be hot and cold, have goosebumps, or have a runny nose as if they have a cold. However, these symptoms appear to vary between different drugs of abuse. You can read more about Drug Withdrawal Syndrome here.
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If these characteristics are displayed by a person in your family, friend, or anywhere around you, it is time that you start taking countermeasures to ensure that their addiction and drug abuse is stopped!. If you really care for the dear life of this person, help him or she overcome this drug addiction by following the techniques below.
Helping Someone With Drug Abuse
It is not easy to overcome drug addiction. This takes a great deal of patience, consistency, and determination both on your own part and on the part of the individual involved. That does not mean, however, that it is impossible.
If the origin of his or her drug addiction is identified, well studied, and understood, the issue can be solved from there. If you have a drug addiction or know someone who is suffering from it, here are a few proven techniques that might help overcome it:
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1. Help Them Make The Decision
Deciding to quit is the very first step to overcoming addiction. For someone who wants to conquer their addiction, determination is the key. He or she must undoubtedly make the decision to quit using the drug. The addict should make this decision, not anyone. You can only help encourage them to make the decision by themself but you can’t make it for them. They have to determine for themselves that, for the betterment of their life, they need to change themselves for good.
2. Help Them Prepare
Your next step is to help the person prepare to take action towards actualizing the goal. While it might not seem like anything, it is important to be conscious of what is to come. Any drugs or substances of abuse that they possess must be disposed of immediately. If you cannot take these actions, the best thing is to check the addict into rehab. Experienced workers can better direct the steps to be taken before a person goes into care.
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3. Help With Treatment
It may be of great assistance to consult a physician to go over the correct treatment procedures. They will educate you better on how to help get rid of the drug and its aftereffects in the body. Encouraging them throughout the detoxification, rehabilitation, treatment, and daily follow-up will make it possible for them to improve and fully recover from the drug addiction. It might not be an easy job but once you see your friend or loved one getting back to normal, you will be strengthened to do more.
4. Help Them Handle Stress
The main factors leading to drug addiction are stress, depression, and related mental disorders. Such individuals also find drugs an easy relief from the conditions they face during the day. As a person, it is crucial that you learn how to manage and control stress before you can help them to manage and control theirs without using drugs. If it is too much to deal with, you can consult a therapist to assist with the case. It is important to ensure that a person who has overcome addiction does not fall back into it.
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5. Teach Them To Take Control Over Their Life
Every drug addict must monitor two things in their life; the people in their lives and the things they do important. Ask yourself, are you these people dragging you closer to drugs? Would my relationships with people be affected by these drugs? Look at the barriers to rehabilitation and why you want to overcome addiction. In your marriage, have drugs created a rift? Did drugs hinder you from advancing in your college or professional life? Questions of self-assessments like these ones can help build a sense of self-awareness. It will help propel them on to a healthier lifestyle that is drug-free!
Final Words
Drug addiction and alcoholism can lead to a wide range of lifelong issues. Such issues sometimes stick with a person till death or sometimes even lead them to it. The addicts themselves and the people around them must help them in taking effective steps towards overcoming the addiction. At first, the feat may seem daunting, but it is not an impossible task in any way and will enable the recovered people to lead lives in far better ways than before. He or she will forever be grateful to you!
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