Many myths surround drug addiction and the subsequent need for treatment. From the idea that drug addiction is a mere flaw in character to the thought that people who make their way through treatment are healed forever, it’s important you know what the truth is about drug and alcohol addiction so you don’t fall victim to the many myths surrounding treatment and care.
Myth: Drug addiction is the result of a flaw in one’s character
Fact: Drug addiction is not the result of a flaw in an individual’s character. In fact, though people do make the ultimate decision to use drugs initially, the resulting addiction is not from an individual’s flaw in character. Addiction results from a physical dependence that develops when drugs are used and no individual is able to make the decision as to whether he or she can use drugs recreationally without becoming addicted.
Myth: Treatment heals addiction forever
Fact: Just because an individual completes treatment does not mean that he or she will be forever healed from their addiction. Addiction is a disease which means that it lingers with the individual forever and even after treatment is completed, there is a chance that the disease will spark back up and the individual will relapse. Some addicts will relapse many times after treatment and will have to seek out a number of treatment options while others may go into treatment once and never use drugs again.
Myth: Treatment only works if you want it to
Fact: Though many believe that in order for treatment to work an individual must be ready and willing to get help this is not always the case. In many cases, intervention that takes place when an addict is not even close to ready for help has led to long term recovery. Likewise, just because an addict wants help does not mean that the treatment will necessarily work. Treatment is different for everyone and in some cases, treatment will work for an addict who wants nothing to do with it while in other cases it may take additional desire and will on the addict’s part in order to recover.
Myth: Treatment is a one-size-fits-all approach
Fact: There is no single approach to treatment that will work for everyone. Even in cases of the same addiction, no single type of treatment is guaranteed to work. What works for one may not work for the other. For instance, many people find twelve-step drug rehab to be very effective while others have found this method to be rather ineffective. The end result is up to the individual needs of each patient.
Myth: If one treatment doesn’t work, none of them will
Fact: If you find that you have completed one method of treatment and now relapsed, this should not cause you to give up hope. If one treatment doesn’t seem to be working for your addiction, consider trying another one and even another until you find a treatment program in a drug rehab clinic that is most effective for your individual needs. The most important fact here is to be persistent and to continue to seek out options until you find the best care for your needs.