Drug Addiction And Dual Diagnosis Information

There are many schools of thought as to what constitutes an addict or an alcoholic. Medical and religious communities have debated this issue for decades and yet are no closer to an agreement on any one sound theory. The truth is this is a dynamic affliction and most likely encompasses some or all of the major schools of thought.

The Disease Concept is the fundamental belief of any twelve step program. Simply stated addicts and alcoholics are born with a genetic predisposition to become addicted. Drug addiction and alcoholism are defined as chronic, progressive and fatal diseases unless arrested through total abstinence from drugs and alcohol.

Drug Addiction Information, The Disease Concept, Dual Diagnosis and Recovery

Dual Diagnosis as developed and defined by the psychiatric community states that addicts and alcoholics do not have a disease, yet there is an underlying mental illness with all the symptoms of a disease that the addict chooses to treat through the use and abuse of alcohol or illegal drugs. In order to achieve sobriety one must be abstinent from drugs and alcohol with the exception of prescribed psychiatric medications.

Moral Corruptibility - This belief stems from the religious community and contends that if the addict or alcoholic nurtures a sense of spirituality or a relationship with a higher power of his/her understanding, alcoholism and addiction would be relieved. Answers to all questions can be found through meditation, prayer, and involvement in a spiritual program of recovery.

The Downward Spiral - There is one common and defining element with which all addicts and alcoholics struggle. That element is pain. The thought process behind how this pain develops into addiction or alcoholism is simple and logical.

An addict progresses through life with goals and aspirations as we all do. Then at some point he/she begins to experience pain, pain that they are not equipped to handle. This may be the same pain that many other people experience and handle with relative ease, but for the addict it is a turning point. This pain is often unresolved in the present time and may remain dormant for years. The addict is then introduced to a substance - alcohol, cocaine, marijuana, etc. - usually by friends or acquaintances, that will seem to relieve their pain. The truth however is that the pain is not truly relieved by the drugs and alcohol. Drug addiction and alcoholism are an illusion of comfort. While they provide immediate gratification and temporarily relief from feeling feelings, they actually perpetuate the sadness, guilt, remorse, and shame that the user is attempting to escape. They now believe they have found the answer to the pain they could not resolve through traditional means. Use of the drugs or alcohol increases as tolerance levels build, but the result of achieving short term relief is always paramount. As time progresses the substance that once provided the relief now starts to create new pains. Relationships become strained, honesty and creditability disappear, family and friends are ignored, jobs are lost, and/or criminal charges begin to appear.

For the addict and alcoholic, stopping the use of the drugs is not an option. When he/she does, the pain quickly reappears. Only now it is no longer simply the original pain, the pain compounded by years of addiction and alcoholism becomes so overwhelming that the thought of facing reality, taking responsibility, or being sober is insurmountable. In fact, the addict or alcoholic has lost the ability to even see the original source of pain. The problems compounding in their present environment are themselves fuelling the addiction. This creates the downward spiral of addiction or alcoholism, and it will continue until there is a stop - usually treatment, jail, or death.

Drug treatment and alcohol rehab centers exist to provide a safe place for individuals suffering from drug addiction and alcoholism, dual-diagnosis, eating disorders, gambling addiction, sex addiction etc. to learn, grow, and heal from a seemingly hopeless state of mind and body.

Alcoholism

Heroin

Methamphetamines

Cocaine

Marijuana

Prescription Drugs

Hallucinogens