Several emotional or psychological reasons may drive you into taking drugs. At times it is mere curiosity that propels you to develop an addiction to drugs over time. Drug addiction refers to the compulsive use of psychoactive drugs to such a level at which the user of drugs has no other way out and continues to use it.
Though addiction to drugs like opium have been common since historical times it is in recent times that the problem has been exacerbated significantly. This is mainly due to the cultivation of plants yielding drugs, advancements in biochemistry and improvements in means of getting access to drugs. The introduction of purified forms of active biological agents and the synthesis of new substances like methamphetamine has made drugs more widespread. Clinically, the word ‘addiction’ has been replaced by the word ‘dependency’ in relation to drugs.
It may be noted that not all persons are equally prone to addiction. Some persons are psychologically or genetically more predisposed to drug addiction. Again, some kinds of drugs get the better of some particular types of persons more easily. Similarly, the manner of treatment and method of recovery from addiction vary widely according to the types of drugs, amount of drugs, duration of drug addiction, medical complications and social necessities of the patient.
There is the 12-step program among the many recovery methods. Alcoholics Anonymous and Narcotics Anonymous are prominent examples included herein. These are popularly used for a variety of addictions concerning the individual addicted and the family of the individual. Then there are the substance-abuse rehabilitation centers that frequently offer a residential treatment program for the seriously addicted and strive to isolate the drug addicts from other drug users and drug dealers.
The cognitive-behavior therapy, rational-emotive theory or other types of psychological behavior modification methods are employed in the treatment of drug addiction. Replacement drugs like methadone are also used. This methadone is in itself a drug but in order to reduce dependency on stronger drugs like opium it proves helpful. Acupuncture is also a treatment of choice that helps alleviate drug addiction symptoms.
Carrying out the suitable treatment from the various treatments available can bring about recovery from drug addiction. The object is to somehow bring about abstinence from the various addictive substances called drugs.
by: Jerry Nelson
