subject: When Is An Addiction Not A Dependence? [print this page] How can you tell when drug abuse becomes drug dependence? An abuser is the one who takes a drug every now and then only to achieve a certain state of mindlessness like a drunk who goes on weekend binges that he remembers nothing of. Drug dependence on the other hand can be defined as the state a person gets to where he finds he cannot function like a normal person without taking the drug. These people, the abuser and the drug addict start off from the same point - that of using drugs to feel happy. An abuser can stop with less hassle than an addict can but everyone who decides to take drugs always believes somewhere in the back of his mind that they can stop whenever they wish to. You won't know if this is true unless you understand the problems you have with drugs. Drug abuse turns into a love affair, the kind that leads most individuals to steal, lie and cheat and even to die for.
In drug rehab center the most critical step is the detox step. It is arguably the hardest and getting through it without any slight relapses might be the determining element of whether an individual will be able to go on without his drugs. There is a 3 month window which most rehab specialists give to recovering addicts to adhere to their rehab program . Once one has been through the worst physical symptoms of withdrawal, he may get into a depressive state and constant stress. The cravings can be bad enough to drive one to turn to the drug. It appears extremely difficult for an addict to stay on the straight path after the 1st stint in rehab as studies show, most addicts have to go in for drug rehab center more than once. The reason that there is such a high probability of failure might have to do with the concept that most psychologists have about drug addiction being a neurological problem. This concept motivates that treatment should not only be physical but psychological as well.
The next step of rehabilitation is the realization that the addict must come to about how the drug not just affects him in a detrimental way but also affects family members and friends. They should realize that drugs do not solve or ease any problems but rather allow one to hide while slowly poisoning their systems - using drugs should be depicted as a life threatening condition that luckily can be cured with things that are as basic as talk therapy, nutrition, yoga, meditation and a general change in way of living.
Rehab should help an addict resolve the psychological issues in which might have pushed one to addiction . That is why it is advisable to register for a rehab program that is longer than just a couple of months to give your body and mind an opportunity to heal.
