The Most Common Myths about Addiction

In other cases, if a person is going through withdrawal and experiences more severe symptoms such as a seizure, they are in danger of serious injury or death if they attempt to face this alone. This refutes the logic of the common “tough love” approach to treating addiction. People often believe that cutting addicts out of their lives or putting them in jail will help them to realize that change needs to occur, but this harsh treatment can often exacerbate the problem.

You may have heard a few facts about addiction recovery along the way, but let’s separate fact from fiction. Recovery is not a one-size-fits-all treatment, nor is it temporary. Recovery is a lifelong process that can include setbacks. Even though someone has relapsed, it doesn’t mean they weren’t still making progress before. A recurrence may imply that a change in treatment approach or methods is needed.

Believing That Rehab Should Work the First Time

Addicts/alcoholics don’t have to want to be in treatment, nor do they have to recover for themselves. If they maintain the frame of mind that they’re in recovery for a loved one, that’s okay.

Relapse is defined as a series of setbacks along the way to recovery, not as a definite reversion to old ways, so even if you relapse, you can still return to recovery. MARR Addiction Treatment Centers specialize in treating individuals whose lives have been destroyed by addiction. Relying on 45 years of experience in the treatment industry, MARR identifies each individual’s underlying issues and uses clinically proven techniques to treat myths about addiction and recovery them. Addicts/alcoholics come in many forms — even if the individual has not hit the stereotypical ‘rock bottom,’ he or she can still benefit from drug and alcohol treatment. The ultimate goal of recovery is to prevent the all-time low from taking place. If you’ve tried treatment before, that does not mean it is time to give up. With thousands of facilities across the U.S., finding the right facility can be a difficult process.

How did the myths surrounding addiction get started?

“Relapse means treatment did not work.”Despite the length of treatment completed, relapse rates are high for those struggling with a substance use disorder. Even when given the full continuum of care, relapse is a risk, and occurs when negative emotions trigger drug seeking behaviors. The majority of people that struggle with drug and alcohol addictions will relapse https://ecosoberhouse.com/ after leaving treatment. In fact, that number is sometimes as high as 80%, making addiction akin to other chronic disorders. Research shows that individuals are most susceptible to relapse in the first ninety days following treatment. Instead of seeing relapse as a failure, it should be a sign that the original treatment plan simply needs an alteration.

• When people picture an addict, they picture a perpetuated stereotype of a disgraceful person with no goals in life.
• Addicts/alcoholics don’t have to want to be in treatment, nor do they have to recover for themselves.
• Talk to your counselor or sponsor, refocus andgive recovery another chance.
• The drugs may not even be the problem if the failures of a prohibition are any indication.
• After someone is addicted, they suffer from compulsive and uncontrollable drug use and need outside help to stop.

You may be scared to leave your loved ones behind or worried you won’t have a place to return when your treatment concludes. It’s natural to feel this way, but pausing from your current daily life can positively benefit your treatment and overall recovery. Medically supervised withdrawal is a broad phrase that covers many different approaches. One of these approaches is using certain medications to ease cravings and help regulate brain chemicals while you’re going through withdrawal. For example, doctors may prescribe methadone to help individuals with opioid use disorder. At Gateway, we use Suboxone or Vivitrol instead when necessary. In some cases, these symptoms can be so uncomfortable that a person will seek to return to their addiction simply to ease their pain.

Five Common Myths About Addiction (And Five Truths!)

Medication doesn’t just count as a valid form of addiction when it’s gotten in illegal quantities through a stolen prescription pad or improper channels. Thanks to a mixture of societal stigma and media, we have a one-sided, simplistic view of addicts, which worsens the issue for us as a society. Did a person with diabetes eat sweets every day to get the disease? So, why do so many people believe the common myth that alcoholics drink every day?