Drug Addiction: When to Intervene |
| Date Added: December 11, 2010 08:30:27 PM |
| Author: John Crimins |
| Category: Arts - Humanities: Education |
| Drug Addiction: When to Intervene When you know someone who's displaying signs of being addicted to drugs, when can you tell that intervention is needed? This question is something that family and friends have difficulty answering when it comes to loved ones who are suffering from drug addiction. Drug addiction is a real problem in the U.S. According to the National Survey on Drug Use and Health National Findings, around 22.3 million people above 12 years old in the year 2007 suffer from substance dependency or abuse. This represents 9% of the population belonging to this age bracket. Drug addiction treatment or rehabilitation can only be successful when the user admits to the problem and decides to get help. This is sometimes the most difficult step. Otherwise, intervention and treatment will be futile. An intervention technique which may work in achieving this is convincing the user of the harmful effects that drugs can have on one's body as well as the long-term health issues they can bring about. Addictive Personalities Stephen Mason, Ph.D, wrote in his article "The Addictive Personality" that too much of anything good can actually be bad, and yet individuals possessing addictive personalities still get hooked on things like alcohol and gambling. He says that addiction is merely a habit that got out of control, and that there's a whole lot of difference between using and abusing. While alcohol is something legal, most of the mood-altering drugs – like cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamine and heroin – are not. And even though these are illegal, this still doesn't keep people with addictive personality from using them. Home Environment as Factor Most people who use drugs have friends or family members who are also users. This makes admitting to the addiction and quitting the habit more difficult for them. Many users consider drug addiction as a part of life and so they believe that seeking intervention becomes something that's unnecessary. When to Intervene Most of the time, intervention or treatment is not done until the user has fallen deep into the addiction and has been into it for a few years. But regardless of the level of addiction, there are ways for family and friends to identify whether a loved one is into the habit of using and abusing drugs. These signs include depression, erratic and secretive behavior, mood swings and seclusion. Intervention can be done any time during the addiction phase. It is even recommended that a user be taken into rehab even before sure addiction takes place, or even during the experimentation stage. At this critical stage, the person will need to realize the negative consequences of becoming addicted to drugs. These consequences not only pertain to their health, but also to their relationships and general well-being. The Mayo Clinic Staff wrote that people who are addicted fail to see the harmful effects of their behavior, both on them and on those around them. According to the article, it is important that loved ones not wait until the user would want help and thus offer intervention before things turn bad. Once a user has admitted to addiction and is open to treatment, he can choose and apply different strategies and techniques that will help him successfully deal with his addiction. |
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