Many people use drug abuse interchangeably with drug dependency and drug addiction. There are minor distinctions between these terms, but generally one leads to another.
Nobody sets out to get addicted to drugs or alcohol. Usually it starts off casually, as an offer from a friend, a desire to belong or just the desire to experiment and see what it’s like. This can lead to more recreational use until before you know it, you’re reaching for the alcohol or drug to relax, to relieve stress, to reward yourself or to handle difficult situations. Once drug use reaches this stage, it can quickly become abuse. It’s no longer “just for fun” but to handle life.
Some people abuse drugs for a short period of time but can recognize their behavior isn’t healthy, and stop. Others don’t have the desire or the ability to stop. Their drug abuse spirals into drug dependency and from there, it’s an invisible line into drug addiction.

When Drug Abuse Starts

Most drug abuse starts in the teenage years when curiosity, peer pressure and the awkwardness of adolescence is high. Statistics show that the younger someone is when they start using, the more likely he or she will struggle with drug abuse or addiction later in life. The most notable signs that someone is slipping into drug use is a change in personality and usual behavior patterns. A teenager who is normally very active and social may suddenly become more reclusive and spend more time alone. They start to lose interest in activities and hobbies they’ve always been engaged in. Friends and associates may change along with school performance.
Drug abuse can also happen later in life in response to traumatic life situations. The loss of a loved one, experiencing physical or emotional abuse or a life-threatening situation can result in an individual turning to drugs to cope. In this instance, drug abuse is a form of self-medicating. Friends or family members who witness a change in behavior that lends toward depression or isolation can recognize some of these symptoms of drug abuse. It generally takes professional help to overcome.

When Drug Abuse Becomes Drug Addiction

Drug abuse becomes drug addiction when the individual can’t stop taking drugs in spite of negative and often severe consequences. When the drug becomes more important than school, relationships, family, work, health or a combination thereof, an individual is in the grip of drug addiction. The drug has become the most important thing in his or her life.
Drug addiction is both physical and psychological. The physical addiction results in withdrawal symptoms when the drug is removed. This can also happen with drug abuse and drug dependency, although the symptoms may not be as severe because usage may not be as heavy or prolonged. Physical addiction is generally severed within a few weeks. However, drug addiction carries the psychological reliance which is far more difficult to sever. Breaking the psychological reliance of drug addiction requires professional help in order for the individual to experience long-term sobriety.
People underestimate the power of drug addiction. Drug addiction and even drug abuse go far beyond will power. Once an individual becomes reliant on a drug, it can be nearly impossible to quit. This is why getting professional help at a drug rehab center is so important. Professional care can help interrupt the cycle. If you or a loved one is abusing drugs, call a drug rehab center immediately for professional help, before it’s too late.

It is typically family members that help loved ones into drug rehab. This is primarily because the family can see what the alcoholic or drug addict cannot and also is directly affected by his or her destructive behavior. The person in the grip of alcoholism or drug addiction may be aware there’s a problem, but unwilling to do what it takes to overcome it or simply not know how.
Helping family members into drug rehab is not always easy. Generally by the time someone in the family needs drug rehab they are well into their alcoholism or drug addiction and it has become such a part of their life that they can’t imagine living without it. At this level, they are likely to resist giving up something that has become more important to them than anything, even family.

Professional Intervention for Helping Family into Drug Rehab

Family members need to realize that when someone is in the grips of addiction, it takes on a life of its own. Addiction is described as an obsession of the mind and an allergy of the body – when the drug is removed the person craves it and the cravings can be intense as can the withdrawal symptoms. This can lead to all sorts of behavior such as guilt, manipulation, bargaining and anger when you try to help family into drug rehab.
Professional intervention can be very successful in helping family into drug rehab. Interventionists act as mediators between the addicted person and family members. The scenario is rehearsed beforehand and family members are encouraged to share their feelings as well as set consequences in place should he or she refuse drug rehab. An interventionist can help take the pressure off the family and coax a reluctant loved one to get help.

Signs a Family Member needs Drug Rehab

The family is usually the first to notice personality and behavior changes. Change in hobbies, falling off in school or work performance, poor attendance, poor personal hygiene, sleeping more or sleeping less, lack of appetite, isolating at home more or not coming home at all. If you suspect someone in your family needs drug rehab, don’t wait until it’s too late. Research drug rehab centers and call to find out what you can do to help a family member into drug rehab. Find out if there is a professional interventionist on staff you can talk to. It doesn’t cost anything to find out how to go about saving a family member’s life.

Finding the best drug rehab center is easy if you know what you’re looking for. First you’ll want to determine what an effective program basis is for you. Most drug rehab centers in the U.S. are based on the 12-step program, but there are other faith-based programs (Christian) and behavioral programs that focus on psychological care. Some drug rehab centers are residential while others are clinical. When it comes to finding the best drug rehab center, it all depends on what works for you.

The Best Drug Rehab Centers have Qualified Staff Members

The best drug rehab centers offer qualified staff members who have experience, training and certification in the field of drug and alcohol studies. Staff members should be trained in clinical therapy as well as drug and alcohol counseling. If holistic practitioners are on staff, they should have credentials displayed. You want to ensure that you are receiving quality care and the best drug rehab centers will have certificates, state licensing and credentials that back up their claims.

The Best Drug Rehab Centers Offer Personalized Care

The best drug rehab centers offer personalized drug and alcohol treatment plans, not a one-size-fits-all program. This is generally accomplished through a clinical evaluation that takes into account your drug and alcohol history, family dynamics, emotional issues that may include trauma or abuse and any evidence of underlying chemical imbalance that could be contributing to mood disorders such as depression or anxiety. All of this is taken into account and designed into an individual drug and alcohol treatment plan that addresses your needs.

The Best Drug Rehab Centers Comprehensive Treatment

Some drug rehab centers offer drug and alcohol treatment based on the 12-step method, other drug rehab centers offer holistic treatments for overall mind, body and spirit integration, while still others offer psychology and behavioral therapy. The best drug rehab center offers a combination of these therapies into a comprehensive treatment plan. This way you can be assured of finding something that works best for you instead of getting into a drug rehab that offers something you aren’t comfortable with. The 12-steps don’t work for everyone and neither does behavioral therapy. If you choose a drug rehab that offers a combination of therapies, you stand a better chance of  success at long-term recovery.

The World Health Organization (WHO) now recognizes the benefits of acupuncture in treating a variety of ailments. Acupuncture in drug rehab, and in particular ear acupuncture, has gained ground in the treatment of alcoholism and drug addiction. This assists in minimizing the sometimes uncomfortable symptoms of anxiety and restlessness associated with withdrawal while increasing an overall sense of calm. Acupuncture and drug rehab combined with traditional methods of recovery, such as the 12-steps originated by co-founders of Alcoholics Anonymous, offers a more comprehensive approach to addiction treatment.

How Does Acupuncture Work?

Acupuncture accesses natural channels of energy in the body. These channels can get blocked through emotional trauma, abuse and damage by drugs and alcohol. The needles used in acupuncture access these channels along certain points in the body and “unblock” the energy, allowing it to flow freely through the body. Blocked energy in the body can result in a host of ailments, including stagnated blood, headaches, digestion, depression, anxiety and insomnia. Herbal remedies may also accompany acupuncture treatments to help bring the body back into balance.

The Benefits of Acupuncture in Drug Rehab

The benefits of acupuncture and drug rehab have been proven in a variety of studies, most notably in Minneapolis where a controlled research team determined a group was 93% effective in completing an acupuncture and drug rehab program as compared to a control group at 2.5%.

Newly recovering alcoholics and addicts tend to be restless and anxious. The most obvious benefits of acupuncture are a reduction in cravings and withdrawal symptoms and an increase in relaxation. These are all vital in helping those early in sobriety overcome the initial discomfort and settle in so they can concentrate on the material being presented in drug rehab.

The need for drug rehab to heal alcoholism and drug addiction goes far beyond physical reliance. There are often much deeper, underlying psychological issues that contribute to drinking and these factors need to be rooted out and addressed for recovery to be successful.

The psychological need or craving for drugs and alcohol is the most difficult part of the recovery process to treat. Oftentimes there is chemical imbalance present that may create mood disorders and a person will self-medicate with drugs and alcohol in order to stabilize their emotions. For instance, someone who is depressed may turn to stimulants to boost their mood while someone who suffers from anxiety may take a drink or a Xanax to calm down. Individuals may not even be aware they are using drugs and alcohol to balance out a chemical imbalance. In the process of self-medicating, they become addicted to drugs and alcohol. For this reason, it’s necessary for an individual to be properly diagnosed with a clinical evaluation for successful treatment in drug rehab and dual diagnosis.

Drug Rehab: Clinical Evaluation

A clinical evaluation is generally given by a psychologist using proven diagnostic tests to determine whether an underlying chemical imbalance is present that could be contributing to the addiction. If an individual is diagnosed with bi-polar disorder or anxiety in addition to alcoholism or drug addiction, this is referred to as dual diagnosis in drug rehab or co-occurring disorders. Once this is diagnosed, drug rehab and dual diagnosis treatment has a better chance at being successful.

Drug Rehab: Treating Dual Diagnoses

People come to rely on drugs and alcohol because of the way it makes them feel. If they are self-medicating an underlying mood disorder, this needs to be treated through therapy and possibly even medication in order for drug and alcohol treatment to be successful.

Clinical therapy can help root out underlying issues that could be contributing to alcoholism and drug addiction. Family dynamics, childhood or adult trauma or abuse (physical, verbal, emotional), post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) are all symptomatic of traumatic or life-threatening situations that have created a strong fear of harm and/or preservation. Individuals need to work through these issues and release them in order to also release the need for alcohol and drugs to numb or escape. This is not an overnight process.

As a last resort, medication may be prescribed to help individuals through the most traumatic events or depressive episodes. Working through clinical therapy, the goal is to release the need for medication, drugs or alcohol and live a life free of emotional pain. Finding a drug rehab for dual diagnosis can make all the difference in a person’s recovery.