Drug Addiction – The Ultimate Guide

A vital part of recovery from drug addiction is to reach out for support since isolation, fear, and shame are a big part of the disease.

Drug addiction is very destructive because it impacts behavior and destroys the body and mind.

That said, millions of addicts across the globe and throughout time have found recovery from drug addiction and have gone on to lead healthy and balanced lives.

Addiction to substances is more common than we imagine, and it’s not only hard drugs that can wreak havoc on people’s lives. Off the shelf and over the counter drugs can be as harmful when taken continuously and in high doses.

In this article, we’ll explore the causes, prevalence, symptoms, treatment and how you can help an addict without enabling them.

What is drug addiction?

Also known as substance abuse disorder, it can get defined as the uncontrollable need for, and use of, a habit-forming substance underpinned by tolerance and distinct physical symptoms on withdrawal. Broadly, it’s the continued compulsive use of substances that the user knows are harmful.

This is a rather clinical definition for a far-reaching, deep-rooted disease of the mind that causes an addict’s life to degenerate in virtually every way. Eventually, their lifestyle begins to bleed toxicity into the lives of people around them, especially family, friends and employers, who end up bearing the brunt.

The current fifth edition of The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) recognizes substance disorders resulting from different classes of drugs and expands it to “other unknown substances” too.

The classes listed are –

• Alcohol
• Caffeine
• Cannabis
• Hallucinogens (phencyclidine or similarly acting arylcyclohexylamines, and other hallucinogens, such as LSD)
• Inhalants
• Opioids
• Sedatives
• Hypnotics or anxiolytics
• Stimulants (including amphetamine-type substances, cocaine, and other stimulants)
• Tobacco

The inclusion of other or unknown substances expands diagnosis and allows addicts access to treatment paid by health insurance or in-state facilities.

Often when we think of a drug addict, an image of a homeless, desperate person comes to mind, but this is entirely the wrong impression. A survey conducted by the National Coalition for the Homeless found of the over 550K homeless people in the USA in 2017, only 26% were addicted to drugs.

Another mental picture is of addicts huddled together sharing needles or pipes. While that’s a reality, it’s also in the minority. Most addicts use at home, socially and in the workplace, and only a few inject themselves. By far, the most common way to take drugs is orally and smoking.

Many addicts are functional, holding down jobs and running households. Others live with and get financial support from family. Despite the seemingly “normal” exterior beneath the surface, their lives are dysfunctional, and they struggle to cope with their responsibilities.

Unlike alcohol consumption, drug use can easily go undetected, and effects can get blamed on feeling tired or being a bit moody.  Addicts will go to extreme lengths to hide their problem because they don’t want to get found out, and in the workplace, drug use is illegal.

Using is always in secret, alone or with like-minded people. This deceptive behaviour leaves people around addicts confused and troubled as they try to make sense of the personality changes and what they witness.

Key drug addiction statistics

Although statistics might look rather bleak, if you have a drug problem or love someone who does, don’t hesitate to get help. It’s readily available, and it works if you work it.

Substance abuse is a widely studied area of medical science, and it’s well understood. According to the New York State Office of Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Services, about 10% of American adults aged 18 years and older are in recovery from substance addiction.

A 2017 survey by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) found –

• 19.7 million Americans (aged 12 and older) battled drug addiction
• 74% of them also had an alcohol addiction
• 38% of them were addicted to illegal substances
• 8.5 million of them reported having a diagnosed mental health condition
• 992K American adolescent population age 12 to 17 battled drug addiction
• 443K also had an alcohol addiction
• 741K were addicted to illegal substances
• 5.1 million young adult Americans age 18 to 25 battled drug addiction
• 3.4 million of them also had an alcohol addiction
• 2.5 million were addicted to illegal substances
• 966,000 American adults (over age 12) were addicted to cocaine
• 652,000 American adults (over age 12) were addicted to heroin
• Heroin addiction had doubled over the past decade
• 1.7 million American adults (over age 12) were addicted to prescription drugs
• Women were more likely to get addicted to prescription drugs than men
•  4.1 million American adults over the age of 12 were addicted to marijuana
• The majority of people battling marijuana addiction were aged between 12 and 25
•  20.7 million Americans (aged 12 and older) got recommended for treatment for substance addiction; only 4 million entered a treatment program
• Of those recommended for treatment, only 5.7% felt they needed it

Other stats include –

• There are over 14,500 specialized drug treatment facilities in the United States offering various care options
• The relapse rate for drug addiction is estimated to be between 40% and 60%
• Heroin addicts are twice more likely also to be addicted to alcohol as well; marijuana addicts 3 times more likely; cocaine addicts 15 times more likely; prescription drug addicts 40 times more likely

What causes drug addiction?

We all have an evolutionary genetic predisposition to addiction linked to feeding to ensure our survival. Eating makes us feel good, so we will want to continue finding food to survive ultimately.

Even though we’ve long since evolved beyond basic survival, our brains are still programmed for addiction. Obviously, not all of us fall into problematic addiction, but it’s essential to know that no one is beyond developing an addiction problem. This knowledge can help us to be more supportive if someone close to us is a drug addict.

Many addicts unwittingly fall into addiction. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), people start using drugs for many reasons –

• To feel good, feel pleasure, or get high or intoxicated
• For pain, to relieve stress or numb their problems
• To improve performance or thinking
• To suppress their appetite
• Curiosity or peer pressure

Here are other contributing factors –

• Children of addicts are at a high risk of becoming addicts themselves
• A family history of addiction (excluding parents) increases the risk of addiction
• Mental health disorders
• Early childhood trauma or abuse
• Trauma or abuse at any stage in life that’s unaddressed
• Peer-pressure and stress in adolescence
• Poor coping skills and lack of a proper support system
• Environmental factors such as domestic violence, abuse, financial problems, etc.
• Exposure to drugs use through friends, the community or within the home
• Socio-economic conditions and poverty often expose people to drugs
• Significant life changes like the death of a loved one or divorce create acute stress
• Loneliness and social isolation through circumstance or through an inability to socialize

Mind-altering substances affect brain chemistry, and all addictions get processed in the same part of the brain. Continued use of drugs will eventually begin to reprogram neural pathways by over-stimulating the pleasure versus reward response. This compels the user to start chasing the high, the relaxation, the elevated energy level or confidence effect of drugs.

Simultaneously, the body and brain begin developing a tolerance that necessitates an ongoing need to increase the intake to get the same effect. In due course, the addict can’t function properly without using, and they fall into active addiction.

Drug harmfulness

Drug harmfulness is the term used to describe the level of harm a psychoactive drug can do to a user. It’s measured in different ways, such as addictiveness and potential for physical damage. Drugs are categorized as “hard” being more harmful or “soft” being less harmful.

These terms are used very loosely and have no scientific backing. The primary purpose is to differentiate illegally produced substances from pharma manufacture.

Besides, each category can be broken down into classes ranging from street drugs to off the shelf. While hard drugs and street drugs, in particular, can be very damaging over a short period, all drugs have the potential to cause severe damage to the body, mind and soul if used regularly for an extended time.

Here’s a brief look at each category and how users get tangled up in them –

Hard drugs

Often these are the drugs of choice for intravenous users. Smoking is also a standard option. Because they form part of the illegal drug trade, there’s no control over the purity, quality or content of products traded on the streets.

Wealthy and discerning users connect with dealers who strive to provide high quality at a considerable price; however, most trade on the streets is on an as-needed basis. Buyers quickly run out of money, leading to them opting for the lowest price and even buying on dealers’ credit.

Poor quality drugs and mixed drugs are commonplace, with addicts seldom knowing what else they’re putting into their bodies. Manufacturers and dealers cut drugs with bulking agents to make their supplies go further. They can use absolutely anything, but the most common additives are –

• Baby powder
• Boric acid
• Creatine powder
• Laundry powder
• Procaine powder
• Any pharma medication that can be ground up (often drugs that are past their sell-by date and obtained illegally)

Street drugs are sometimes cut by up to 90%. When choosing bulking agents, dealers and manufacturers look for cheap products that are readily available and aren’t very toxic. These agents may or may not have a mind-altering effect.

Although addicts might be aware of the lacing agents, they often have no choice because it’s all they can afford.

Mixed drugs can have a devastating physical, and mental effect as the cutting agents’ reactions combine with the base drug. Sometimes called a “bad trip”, an addict can experience unanticipated side effects that can lead to unintentional overdose.

The effects are often caused by the synergy between the substances rather than individual components. This makes treatment challenging if medical help is called in because doctors don’t know what’s triggering the reaction and, therefore, how to counter it.

The base agents of the most common street drugs are –

• Amyl nitrate
• Cocaine
• Ecstasy
• Heroin
• LSD
• Marijuana
• Methamphetamine
• Psilocybin and peyote mushrooms
• Synthetic cathinone
• Synthetic morphine

How does hard drug use start?

Few users immediately start with hard drugs. There’s usually gateway drug use that opens them up to street drugs. Typically, users also move in social circles that have access to hard drugs. Dealers are known to target vulnerable individuals by offering them free drugs to try out.

The most prevalent gateway drug is alcohol, followed by marijuana. Initial drug use may be experimental or recreational.  As addiction takes hold and the need to chase the next high set in, people turn to more potent substances.

Most street drugs are highly addictive and take hold very quickly.

Soft drugs

Don’t be misled by the term “soft drugs”. When abused, pharmaceuticals can be as devastating as street drugs.

Most soft drugs are taken orally and obtained legally, to begin with. Off the shelf pharmaceuticals are always available, but prescription drugs become a problem when the user exceeds the dosage.

Doctors only prescribe every 30-days, and addicts can use up a script in a few days. The need for more can either drive them to illegal trade by street dealers or prescription fraud.

Pharmaceuticals bought illegally from dealers are, for the most part, the real deal. Traders obtain the stock illegally and resell it so the users can be pretty sure of what they’re taking.

Prescriptions are also traded on the streets. Many addicts get medication from doctors and pharmacies by faking illness as well. They’ll often travel far from home and visit multiple medical facilities to get their drugs.

There are thousands of pharmaceutical drugs available that can be abused. Most brands are a combination of substances to target specific health conditions, like cough mixtures.

The most common prescription drugs that get abused are –

• Amphetamines
• Barbiturates
• Benzodiazepines
• Opioids
• Methylphenidates

You might more easily recognize these drugs as codeine, OxyContin, Ritalin and Vicodin, to name a few.

Readily available over the counter and off the shelf drugs include –

• Acetaminophen (pain killer)
• Antacids (heartburn and indigestion)
• Dextromethorphan (cough mixtures and common cold cures)
• Diphenhydramine (antihistamine)
• Loperamide (for gastrointestinal disorders, including diarrhoea)
• Oxybutynin (urinary tract issues)
• Pseudoephedrine and phenylephrine (decongestants)

Non-pharmaceuticals drugs that get abused –

• Aerosol sprays
• Correction fluid
• Glue
• Paint thinners

Non-pharmaceuticals were once the domain of street users because they’re cheap and easy to get hold of. In recent years they’ve found their way into schools, colleges and suburbia.

How does soft drug use start?

For the most part, soft drug addiction begins unintentionally. The drug is either purchased or obtained on prescription to treat an existing condition. But once the treatment period is over, the person knowingly or unknowingly continues using the medication.

What’s happened is that apart from treating the original problem, the substance has also placated another, usually unrelated, underlying issue. The most common effect is soothing anxiety and stress or allowing the user to feel more confident and in control.

When the user tries to stop, withdrawal kicks in, and while they might not even realize what’s happening, they make the connection between stopping and the effects it has.

A desire to avoid the discomfort initially makes the individual continue. Addiction doesn’t happen immediately and begins with regular use, followed by dependence and finally addiction.

Gradually there’s an awareness that they’re falling into dependency, but most will ignore it because they don’t know what to do or how others will react. Eventually, dependency can morph into addiction.

Dependence differs from addiction in that the person relies on the drug, but use is still controlled. Addiction happens when use becomes compulsive and out of control as a result of changes in the brain.

Stressors of modern-day life have caused a substantial increase in the abuse of soft drugs because many don’t think they’re harmful. The effects of the Covid19 pandemic has only added to our stress, leading to more people turning to drugs for relief.

We know that youth are prone to experimentation and, therefore, susceptible to addiction. The elderly, however, are equally vulnerable for two reasons. Firstly, they do have medical conditions and, as a result, have easy access to medication. Secondly, the stress of loneliness or too much idle time can lead to finding consolation in drugs.

According to the World Drug Report 2020, drug use has risen dramatically over the past decade, with opioid use rising by 71%.

Signs you have a drug addiction

If you think you have a drug addiction, carefully consider how many of the points listed below ring true. Do you –

• Turn to drugs when you experience even mild emotional pain or stress
• Feel powerless and unable to control your drug use
• Think about your drug of choice all the time, obsessing over when you will use, if you have enough money to buy and where you will use
• Always ensure that you have enough drugs available and stockpile over the holidays
• Panic severely if you think that you may run out of drugs
• Place buying drugs before purchasing other necessities and responsibilities
• Become defensive if anyone mentions or asks about your drug use
• Lie to others about how much drugs you use in a day
• Feel guilty or ashamed when using drugs
• Need to use drugs first thing in the morning or before going to sleep to get you through the day or to fall asleep
• Convince yourself that your drugs are a necessity
• Secretly try to stop using because you realize it’s controlling your life
• Use one drug to curb the effects or recover from another
• See your work or school performance is suffering because of your drug use
• Know you’ve lost or avoided friends because they’re clean
• Continually have relationship problems
• Job-hop and can’t hold down the same job for more than a few months
• Feign illness to get a doctor’s prescription, often studying symptoms of diseases to get the drugs you want
• Experience dramatic mood-swings and sometimes secretly question your sanity
• Constantly have people asking or commenting on how much your behaviour or personality has changed
• Find your sleeping or eating patterns are impacted by your drug use
• Keep secret stashes of your drugs “just in case”

Maybe you suspect someone close to you has a drug problem, but they deny it. Here are some signs you can look out for. Do you find them –

• Uncharacteristically irritable, combative or aggressive
• Laughing, euphoric and talkative followed by moodiness and sleep
• Experiencing constant mood swings from elation to depression every day
• Having unexplained absences from home, sometimes for days
• Defensive when asked about their whereabouts
• Lying about where they are and who they’re with
• Isolating themselves and keeping doors locked
• Ignoring text messages and phone calls for hours or days on end
• Sleeping for hours and waking up depressed and moody
• Losing interest in mixing with family and friends
• Losing interest in activities and hobbies they previously enjoyed
• The focus of money or valuables inexplicably going missing
• Telling stories of getting mugged or losing things to explain missing items like money or a mobile phone but refusing to report it to the police
• Constantly asking for money or loans (that generally don’t get repaid)
• Losing their appetite and losing weight
• Losing interest in hygiene and personal appearance
• Wearing long sleeves and socks even in hot weather (to cover needle marks)
• Changing in complexion, becoming either very pale or flushed
• Constantly having bloodshot, puffy eyes with dilated or constricted pupils
• Appearing weak and shaky
• Feeling cold all the time, even in warm weather*
• Sweating profusely at times without exercise and in all kinds of weather*
• Developing scabby skin with constant scratching *
• Suddenly getting regular nosebleeds or bruising easily *
• Getting discoloured and decaying teeth *
• Developing blisters on their palms, fingers and lips *

*Based on the drug

How to treat drug addiction

Depending on the severity of the addiction, in or outpatient treatment will be recommended. Since drug addiction is widely recognized as both a mental and physical health problem, a visit to your local doctor can get you into the proper treatment.

For any treatment to be effective, though, the addict must be willing. They don’t necessarily have to accept that they have a problem initially because people regularly change their mind after detox. The fact that they feel so much better and their minds are much clearer can make users realize they need help.

Persistent reservations, though, will impact long-term recovery and increase the chances of relapse. Treatment centers and addiction therapists know this very well, so they work with the addict to identify and understand reservations.  Unaddressed, these deep-seated uncertainties will negatively impact the recovery process, leading to likely relapse.

Treatment centres offer in and outpatient care and can refer inpatients to a halfway house on discharge. Inpatient care is 24-hours a day, and patients can’t leave the center for the duration of their stay. All medication, meals and treatment are included in the cost.

Patients undergo a complete medical examination, including blood analysis, to establish their health condition on admission. They immediately get admitted to the medical center where they undergo a managed detox to make withdrawal as comfortable and safe as possible.

After the detoxification process, they get integrated with the rest of the patients to begin their specific recovery plan. The standard is one-on-one therapy, group counselling, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy, medication and case management, and they all form part of the service.

Special requirements and access to other professionals, like a psychiatrist or dietician, are made available where required.

A rehab stay can be anywhere from 14-days to 6-months, contingent on the degree of addiction and the addict’s progress. Dependent on the addict’s circumstances, they can opt to move to a halfway house afterwards.

Treatment centers manage outpatient treatment, and addicts will also undergo a complete medical examination and blood analysis to establish their health condition. Detox is explained and happens at home. Medication to help them through the withdrawal process and a recovery plan for afterwards is also provided.

Recovering addicts have access to therapists and counsellors but must manage their own appointments. Based on the type of drug they’re coming off, they need to come in for weekly or monthly checkups to monitor their health and healing progress.

Treatment centers and halfway houses conduct regular drug tests on in and outpatients and residents. Anyone in treatment found to be using drugs other than those prescribed will be asked to leave.

Halfway houses

Not everyone has to go to a halfway house after treatment. Most people return home while continuing therapy and counselling as well as medical treatment if they need it.

Halfway houses give recovering addicts a safe and secure environment from which they can reintegrate into mainstream society. Usually, they’re encouraged to find employment and all residents are expected to contribute to the household’s running somehow.

Those who are unemployed can get assigned to garden or household chores, and everyone gets together in the evenings for meals and either fellowship or 12-step meetings. All halfway houses have an early 7-days a week curfew, and outings on weekends are strictly controlled.

Access to counselling, therapy and medical treatment is still available to residents as the aim is to keep them healthy and on the road to recovery. People generally stay at a halfway house for between 6-months and a year.

Understanding withdrawal

Withdrawal is almost unavoidable once an addict stops using. It can range from being uncomfortable to degenerating into serious health complications that can lead to death without medical support.

Each drug classification has its specific effects, but withdrawal symptoms usually start within 8 to 24-hours from the last time they were used. Addicts regularly mix drugs, making detox unpredictable. On average, detoxification takes between 4 to 10-days; however, it can take a year or more for the body and mind to recover from the effects.

Many addicts experience frightening flashbacks where it feels as if they’re under the drug’s influence for a few moments. These flashbacks can happen at any time and leave the person feeling confused and very upset, but they cause no harm.

Mental blanks can also occur. It’s a form of memory loss that lasts for just a few seconds, but is still very distressing. The brain can take up to two years to recover and readjust to functioning healthily without drugs.

Chemicals in drugs change our bodies at a cellular level. That’s how pharmaceuticals can aid healing from sickness and preventing disease. When the body gets flooded with chemicals every day, these changes become semi-permanent, and in some instances, permanent.

Detox flushes the chemicals from the body, and that’s followed mainly by healing. Unfortunately, some changes can be permanent, leaving the addict with lifelong damage or chronic conditions. The most common complication is major organ damage that may or may not be reversible.

How to help someone with a drug addiction

Everyone wants to help their loved ones, but approach with caution when it comes to helping addicts. Drug addiction makes people very dishonest and manipulative. Remember, when someone’s high or coming down, you’re dealing with the drug, not the person.

That’s one reason people often say it feels as though they are dealing with a stranger, even when it’s their own child.

When you confront an addict in active addiction, you’re likely to get one of two responses: outright denial or manipulation.

It helps if you approached the addict on their level to appeal to them. Saying things like “just stop” or “pull yourself together” won’t work because they simply can’t.

Avoid expectations because recovery is unpredictable and needs upfront planning and sustained effort in the long-term. When you get professional help, one of the first things you’ll get is a detailed recovery plan explicitly created for the addict. Without that, you can find recovery has many unanticipated pitfalls.

Know that supporting an addict through recovery is a long-term commitment that can get rough at times, but with professional help, you’ll both pull through. The recovery process spans way beyond detox and abstinence.

It’s essential to understand just how fragile addicts are in the early stages of recovery. If you’ve won their trust, you mustn’t reject them because that’s almost certain to cause relapse. Instead, when things get edgy, offer genuine support and call on outside help from a therapist or counsellor if you need to.

Enabling

Your mental health and wellbeing are equally important, so get support too. Enabling can quickly set in when we’re trying to help someone, so remain aware. Manipulative behavior takes time to fade, and in recovery, an addict can make others feel guilty and lay blame.

Openly discuss issues calmly, but don’t allow yourself to get ambushed into situations where you’re on the receiving end of emotional abuse.

Avoid enabling by setting very clear boundaries right from the start. Acknowledge your faults and past mistakes, and make honest amends. You don’t have to do more than offer a heartfelt apology where necessary and ensure that you don’t repeat the same mistake in future.

Over apologizing and trying to make up for your mistakes are the foundation of the manipulation that leads to enabling. The addict knows how to press your buttons, and your desire to help them leads to you overcompensating and letting them have whatever they want.

Another crucial fact to keep in mind is that you cannot force someone to heal. If the addict has reservations and decides that they want to use, they will, no matter how hard you’ve tried or how much you’ve done for them.

Don’t accept personal responsibility for a recovering addict’s relapse, and don’t ignore it. Also, don’t overreact either. If a relapse happens, take it as part of the process and tell the addict that they’re undoing all the hard work they’ve done. Get professional counselling as quickly as possible.

Keep the three Cs in the forefront of your mind always –

• I didn’t cause it
• I can’t control it
• I can’t cure it

Tough love

Unlike what many think it to be, tough love isn’t humiliation, rejection and shaming – it’s about setting and keeping healthy boundaries.

At its core, tough love keeps the addict accountable for their behavior and ensures that they live up to their personal responsibilities. For instance, a healthy adult should earn an income and contribute to household expenses. Often addicts learn to live off others, and this habit must be broken if they’re to lead a balanced life.

But there’s little value in having boundaries without consequences, and this is where you must be strong. When it comes to money, make a list of household expenses and the addicts own costs, like toiletries. An adult should buy their own.

Agree how much financial support you’ll give until they find a job. Set a reasonable date to find employment and make it clear a job is anything legal that pays. That will prevent excuses later.

Give them only the amount of money agreed and if they run out, leave it there.

If they don’t get a job, cut off the money flow. Expect resistance, but push through so they can learn to take care of themselves. Going through this will be very challenging, but you’re only helping the addict into further self-destruction and ruining your life without boundaries and consequences.

That aside, remember, tough love focuses on teaching self-responsibility; it’s not a form of abuse and control.

Intervention

Often families and friends think the best approach to helping an addict is to stage an intervention. While it can be successful, it’s a dangerous move in the wrong hands.

Suddenly pouncing on someone or getting them to meet you under false pretences is horrible at the best of times. Doing that to a person who’s emotionally and mentally unstable makes it even worse.

Under these circumstances, the likelihood of the addict bolting is very high, and trust will get damaged. An intervention has the potential to trigger an addict and even cause an overdose.

Many come into an intervention with high hopes, without the know-how, and feel personally offended when the addict isn’t interested. But that’s unreasonable and unfair. Unfortunately, disappointment often leads to anger and rejection, which only makes the situation worse.

Interventions must be managed by an impartial counsellor who understands addiction, and even then, keep expectations low. If the addict has indicated that they want help, the intervention will probably be more successful than if they’re in denial.

In extreme cases, court-ordered drug treatment is an option.

Treatment centers

Rehabs or treatment centers offer regular medical care, psychotherapy, behavioral therapy, occupational therapy and group therapy. They also have access to registered dieticians for patients who require specific eating plans and specialist mental health experts like psychiatrists.

Before discharge from a program, patients get given a comprehensive recovery plan with access to outside service providers and support groups.

Treatment programs get specially designed for each patient’s requirements. Daily therapy sessions and general group activities in the evenings are the norms. Centers work to keep patients occupied with healthy activities to encourage mental stimulation and teach necessary life skills.

Narcotics Anonymous (NA) holds over 67K meetings weekly in 139 countries. Sessions start in treatment, and patients are actively encouraged to join local support groups after discharge.

From the start of the global Covid19 pandemic, NA has been offering online meetings to ensure member safety.

SAMHSA releases an annual directory of treatment facilities. Some offer free services for people who qualify; however, most do charge. Several medical insurance plans provide coverage for the costs of treatment.

Helpful telephone numbers

In the case of an emergency or overdose, always call 911 immediately for help.

• Narcotics Anonymous: 1-818-773-999
• Nar-Anon: (310) 534-8188 (for the family of alcohol addicts)
• National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
• Poison Control Centre: 1-800-222-1222 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year)
• SAMHSA: 1-800-662-4357/ 1-800-487-4889 (24 hours a day, 365 days a year info service)

Books worth reading

All books listed are available on amazon.com –

• American Drug Addict: A Memoir – Ryan Turner
• Pot Head: My Life As A Marijuana Addict In The Age Of Legal Weed – Tim Paige
• Addict Chick: Sex, Drugs & Rock “Roll – Amanda Meredith, Stephanie Rose
• I Am A Heroin Addict – Ritchie Farrel
• Finding Freedom: A Drug Addict’s Story From Death To Life – Rachel Dick
• Living With An Addict – Biella Blom

Conclusion

Where alcohol is socially acceptable, drugs aren’t.

Drug addicts are judged and often stigmatized, but that shouldn’t stop you from getting the help you deserve.

Recovery isn’t a once-off event that leads to instant sobriety. It’s a gradual process that needs life-long dedication and maintenance to prevent relapse.

At all times, remember it takes an incredible amount of courage to admit to being an addict. Anyone who opens up deserves support because doing so is admitting to being a failure and a derelict by society’s standards. Of course, that’s not true – addiction is a disease that can be cured.

Always know that how other people react to your addiction is beyond your control. Healing, finding sobriety and getting into long-term recovery is all that matters.

Learning to take personal responsibility once again will help grow your confidence, so you regain control of your life and begin to live again.

Addicts can and do recover. Living the life of an addict in active addiction is like an endless hell; living in recovery is a life of gratitude. Freedom from addiction brings appreciation for even the smallest things in life.