Drug addiction affects not only the addict, but the addict’s friends and family too. They say that up to 16 people are affected negatively by one addicted person’s drug abuse.

 

Once addicted to drugs, because of the changes to the brain, regular use is the order of the day. The addicted person’s level of functioning is reduced as their drug seeking behaviour takes precedence over almost everything else. 

 

Personal health and relationships, whether they are family, social or working relationships also deteriorate. In most instances addiction treatment centres are contacted by the friends and family of the addict seeking advice as the patient themselves rarely believe that there is a problem. 

 

Often this phase is referred to as being in denial or pre-contemplative and is a natural state for the addicted person to be in. Addicted people only begin to seek advice to give up drugs and guidance on how best to achieve this when their awareness has been gently increased by, first gaining their trust, and then reflecting their lives to them.

 

However this is only the first step. Once the patient is stabilised and is beginning to have an increased awareness into what their drug use has actually been like, they’ll be more open to receive advice from their peers in rehab with them, the addictions counselling team and their family.

 

Once open to advice the real work starts as that’s when the changes have to be made. It’s immensely scary to realise that your greatest coping mechanisms no longer works and has become your most destructive trait and just about everything in your life needs to be restructured if you hope to have a healthy, clean and sober future.

 

The following questions will help you assess whether you need drug rehabilitation:

- Have you tried to give up drugs with little success?

- Have you changed from one type of drug to another in the hopes of giving up?

- Do you use drugs to wake up or fall asleep?

- Have you taken drugs when you do not know what they are prescribed for and what their

side effects are?

- Do you spend time planning your next fix?

- Have you used one drug to deal with the effects of another drug?

- Have you missed serious commitments because of your drug use?

- Does your drug use cause family problems?

- Have you ever overdosed on drugs?

- Have you had legal or financial implications as a result of drugs?

- Do you continue using drugs regardless of the dangers?

- Does the thought of no more drugs frighten you?

If you answered yes to any of the questions, you need to consider getting some advice to give up as you may have an addiction problem tat will only get worse without appropriate advice and treatment.

 

Whether you’re seeking advice for yourself to give up drugs, or advice for a loved one WeDoRecover can advise you in finding the most appropriate addiction treatment centre for your needs.

Call us today on:

SA: 082-74-REHAB (73422) Normal cellular rates apply

UK: 0808-26-REHAB (73422) Toll-Free if calling from within the UK

email: hope@wedorecover.com

 

Seeking Help - Advice on the First Stage of Giving Up Drugs. Admitting that you have a problem is the first hurdle to overcome and is a necessary step in giving up drugs. Often ambivalence and denial can prevent people from wanting to give up drugs and seeking advice to do so.

 

Often people that want advice to give up drugs experiences so much conflict that they swing from being desperate to give up and then back to wanting to continue drugs without advice and rehab.

 

People seeking advice to give up drugs sometimes aren’t sure of just how bad their addiction problems are. A part of an addiction is being somewhat deluded to the full implications of the addiction. People often want advice to give up drugs and then regret the decision to seek help. It’s important to understand that this ambivalence and internal conflict is entirely normal and natural and a part of giving up drugs. 

 

Challenged by Addictions Counsellors - Once engaged in some form of treatment to give up drugs the counsellors may challenge patients towards a different view of events and the realities of their drug taking. 

 

Being open to advice when new in addiction recovery is a real skill and receiving this feedback from those close to you, the addictions counsellors and your peers in rehab with you, will be an important aspect of giving up drugs. Being open to advice is a useful way of reducing the delusions and denial associated with active addiction.

 

The Need for Motivation - Often the motivation to give up drugs comes about as a consequences of using drugs, however once withdrawal starts, that motivation can wane and may no longer be sufficient to continue treatment. 

 

New coping skills need to be taught to remain motivated to give up drugs, along with support and encouragement from those around you and perhaps even from other connections with people found in the rooms of AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and NA (Narcotics Anonymous).

 

Early Abstinence - Advice on the Second Phase of Giving Up Drugs - This is a difficult phase when learning to cope with life on life’s terms, without the use of drugs can make it tough to focus. Accepting advice from people who’ve given up drugs and been through what you’re experiencing may be useful.

 

Treatment in the Second Phase - During this phase the withdrawal from drugs has taken place and patients expedience their feet being more firmly on the ground they have in a long time. 

 

People who are new to giving up drugs often report how new and vibrant everyday sensations can be during this honeymoon phase. A fresh breeze on your face, the joy of good company and a nice cup of tea can be new and wonderful experiences newly sober.

 

During this phase the real work starts with patients trying to give up drugs beginning to explore the reasons around how and why they’ve become addicted and what they can do to take responsibility for giving up drugs.

 

Some of the issues that will need to be addressed are:

- Denial and how it can thwart efforts to give up drugs

- Triggers of relapse

- Making amends for harm done

- Dealing with craving

 

Maintaining Abstinence - Advice on the Third Phase of Giving Up Drugs. Once you have managed to give up drugs for three months, you will need the skills you have learnt to maintain a drug free lifestyle thereafter.

 

Continuing Your New Lifestyle - It is likely that you will be out of rehab during this phase, but still participating in a follow up program. You will need to recognise and avoid emotional and environmental triggers and develop new healthy behaviour patterns. 

 

It is essential to keep up with the 12 step fellowship support programs. Some of the areas of follow up will include healthy relationships, dealing with the past, anger management, exercise, healthy eating and the danger of substituting addictions. 

 

Living a Drug Free Lifestyle - Advice on the Fourth Stage of Giving Up Drugs. This is the long term phase of remaining drug free and living a healthy balanced lifestyle.

 

Independence - As time passes you will find that you become more able to maintain this lifestyle and no longer need as much support from those around you. This is the time to start giving back and ensure that the skills that have been passed onto you helping you to give up drugs can be replicated by others who are also trying to give up drugs. Self accountability becomes your responsibility.

 

Follow Up Sessions - It’s said that vigilance is the price of freedom from addiction so if you’re looking for advice on how to give up drugs, remember that if you don’t maintain your recovery plan and keep putting the work in, relapse can happen.

 

The co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, Bill Wilson said that we have a daily reprieve from active alcoholism depending on the maintenance of our spiritual condition. The same holds true for those trying to give up drugs. The maintenance of our recovery is our responsibility and if we continue to do the work it requires to give up drugs we can expect to receive the same results-a healthy recovery.

 

Even if on the road to giving up drugs you have a relapse, there are many people in recovery that have struggled to give up and manage to come back from horrid relapses. Having a relapse doesn’t mean that you’re somehow bad, weak willed or incapable of giving up drugs.

 

All it means is that your programme has something missing. There’s something that you’re not doing that you need to learn to do or something that you are doing that you need to learn to stop doing.

 

Call us and we’ll help you to figure it out.

SA: 082-74-REHAB (73422) Normal cellular rates apply

UK: 0808-26-REHAB (73422) Toll-Free if calling from within the UK

email: hope@wedorecover.com

 

This is a journey and it is best taken a day at a time, however the longer you remain drug free, the less likely you are to relapse.