Addiction Recovery

If recovery means a return of something to a normal or improved state following a setback or loss then addiction recovery is returning the addict to the state they were in prior to the addiction and ideally an improvement on that. In fact at Narconon Arrowhead we specialize in returning and addict to an improved state. As the normal state before addiction had factors which contributed to and led towards addiction, get the person into an improved state is vital to maintaining a drug free lifestyle for a lifetime. Cravings, guilt, and depression are the main factors to be eliminated which will lead to major improvements in health and outlook for the ex-addict

There is a lot of media and press on the subject of substance abuse intervention these days, there are even television shows covering the topic. What happens in most cases of drug and alcohol addiction is the person ceases to track with reality to a greater or lesser degree. They simply don’t see the situations or consequences that are as clear as day to you or I. Their ability to move their attention away from their own drug induced mental and physical pain and out onto their environments is markedly reduced and they are not aware. This can be quite frustrating to loved ones trying to help, as what is obvious to us is simply not real to the addict in many cases. A substance abuse intervention should be designed to give the addict enough assistance with his external observations that the situations and consequences that his or her addiction is creating once again become real to him or her. When the addict feels the threat of pain and loss from his environment is greater than the threat of pain or loss from drugs he or she usually becomes willing to do something, thought this may be reluctantly.

Drug abuse occurs with any use of illegal substances and also occurs when prescription drugs are taken in excess of recommended dosages or for longer than prescribed. Addiction is the inevitable next step forward if drug abuse is not handled. Addiction is the compulsive seeking and use of drugs or alcohol despite adverse social, mental, and physical consequences. At this point the abuse of drugs goes beyond just impacting the individual and is severely impacting family, loved ones, finances and careers. When the individual moves from abuse to addiction the drug use controls the individual rather than the individual controlling the usage.

How does one begin to decide if drug and alcohol rehab is needed for self or loved ones? Beginning with an understanding of what addiction is, offers a good starting point. Addiction is a condition characterized by repeated, compulsive seeking and use of drugs, alcohol or other similar substances despite social, mental, and physical consequences. If you or your loved one fits the above definition, or even part of it, then drug and alcohol rehab is indicated and should be seriously considered. Most addicts or alcoholics didn’t start out with this as their goal in using drugs or alcohol. As addiction progresses the individual has less and less control over their use. The progression of alcoholism leads inevitably to one of three outcomes – jail, death, or sobriety.

An effective addiction recovery program should be much more than just withdrawal or a few meetings. A truly effective addiction recovery program will be a series of actions or steps, done in the correct sequence, each of which would full handle a particular aspect of addiction. All of the steps or actions added together should add up to a drug free productive life that lasts and is not subject to constant reversion or relapse. Three of the main factors needing resolved are cravings, guilt, and depression. These are quite often the factors that not only lead up to addiction, but then continue it despite the addict’s best efforts at staying clean. Narconon Arrowhead is a comprehensive addiction recovery program whose state purpose is not only drug use cessation but a drug free productive life for our program participants.