Getting a handle on the growing problem of drug addiction in the US is being grappled with from the President in regard to the growing opioid crisis on down to the local level with treatment specialists. Research studies and information gathered from meetings of addiction counselors provides a wealth of information to better understand the cause of addiction in society and how it is best treated.
Look at some of the issues to better understand them.
How Addiction Occurs
People deal with problems in life in different ways. Quite often, people try to mask emotional pain by distractions. This can be through a Netflix TV binge marathon, indulging in too much takeout food or directly attempting to dull the pain (or boredom) in life. In other situations, a painful or stressful life situation leads to the desire to remove ourselves from that very situation by using drugs to do so. This may be done by repeatedly getting drunk to avoid thinking about the problems or using an illicit substance to block out emotional or physical pain.
Almost all addicts never intend to become addicted. The substances used to mask the pain are sometimes more addictive than they expected, and they get trapped in their own addiction. Therefore, even when the emotional or physical pain could have already passed, the addict is left with a real physical addiction to their drug of choice and without the necessary tools to escape it. This is where it’s useful for them to get access to a drug detox program to wean their body off the addictive substance. See https://www.detoxlocal.com/drug-detox/ for a more detailed explanation.
Unemployment vs Treatment
One recent connection that has been made is between unemployment status and a reduction of addicts looking for a treatment program. It turns out that people known as “functioning addicts” who successfully hold down a job despite their growing addiction problems behave differently than addicts who are not working.
When unemployment levels are lower, addicts tend to continue the behavior that has so far worked for them and do not seek assistance from a substance abuse program. Only when the employment situation becomes uncertain and funding their habit becomes far more difficult do some people with addiction seriously consider treatment options.
Treatment on Demand
One useful research study on the accessibility of treatment has repeatedly looked at available access to detox for addicts looking to get clean. The study surveyed treatment programs in 1990, 1995 and 2000 to ascertain whether treatment was being offered almost on an “on demand” basis for addicts in dire need of immediate detox from heroin and other addictions.
The study found that treatment facilities were increasingly offering more treatment on demand options for patients, up to two times more often when measured from 1990 to 2000. Patients were not turned away significantly more often during the years surveyed either. Treatment for heroin including the use of methadone to help get patients off heroin more successfully also were taken in, more often on-demand (but not as often as with other addictions), but more of these patients were unfortunately turned away. This suggests that addicts who have a heroin or opioid addiction may find it more difficult to get into a treatment program than addicts who have other addiction problems.
Accessibility of effective treatment for all kinds of narcotic addictions is critical to help stem the tide of drug use and help people who are trying to take their lives back. As the growing crisis across America with drug use continues to grab the headlines, detox treatment programs provide a frontline role in the battle to help with addiction in local communities.