If there is anything that is more difficult to overcome and treat than alcoholism, it is drug addiction. Some families do not even notice that one of their members is already using illegal substances at first. By the time they do notice, the addiction is already so severe that the addicted individual may be suffering from paranoia or even psychosis. If the addiction is this severe, then the addict may be uncontrollable and unreasonably violent toward anyone who tries to approach him or her. If one of your loved ones is addicted to any type of drug, do not hesitate to call for drug intervention and, if needed, drug detox.
Families do not mean to enable an addiction, but they sometimes do unconsciously. This happens when they are too easy on an addicted individual, playing blind to his drug abuse. When it comes to drug addiction, tolerance only hurts the addict. If you cannot apply the iron hand yourself, you should contact a professional Drug Intervention. Competent rehabilitation centers have professional interventionists on their staff.
You should talk to the interventionist assigned to your case so that he or she will be prepared for the severity of your loved one’s addiction. If he or she is already showing suicidal tendencies or is violent towards other people, be sure to let the interventionist know. This way, the transition from the old environment to the rehabilitation center will be a smoother experience.
Drug Intervention does not stop at the removal of the addict from his old environment. The patient will also have to go through detox treatments as well as inpatient counseling. For the drug addiction treatment to be effective, the program must answer the needs of the patient both physiologically and psychologically. If the treatment is concentrated solely on a detox or on counseling alone, it will not be effective. The two treatment types should go hand-in-hand.
Outpatient Drug Intervention Support
Once the patient has been released from the rehabilitation center, he should receive outpatient support. This includes group counseling sessions with a professional life coach and fellow recovering addicts. This is necessary because, without professional and peer guidance, the patient can easily revert back to his old habits. The inpatient programs work effectively in a controlled environment that is conducive to recovery. The patient’s real environment is not controlled. There are many factors that may trigger the patient to go back to being an addict.
Family Support
Aside from outpatient counseling programs, the support of the patient’s family is also integral to the success of any Drug Intervention attempts. Without the family’s support, the patient can become very easily discouraged. The individual will then be susceptible to regressions and relapses. Families need to try their best to support the patient’s recovery, as relapses are often worse than the initial addiction.
Special Cases
Drug Intervention is especially important if the addicted individual is pregnant, nursing a child, relatively young, or was already suffering from behavioral disorders prior to the addiction. Drugs can trigger suicidal tendencies even among people who were fairly stable before their addiction. The danger is doubled when the individual is already psychologically impaired. Pregnant women and nursing moms, on the other hand, may pass on the substance through the placenta or breast milk. High doses of these drugs can seriously threaten the life of an infant.
There are some studies that show how the risk of psychosis and brain damage is higher among young drug users. If you have a teen that you have discovered experimenting with drugs, call for help immediately.
