Factors of Drug Addiction
Addiction wreaks havoc on a life. A person addicted to drugs or alcohol is swept into a world very unlike life before addiction took hold. Control slips away as life spirals. The person may try to hide this from loved ones, often becoming isolated and out of communication.
Additionally, an addict does not always step back and take a look at how he has changed and what a disaster his life has become. It can often be up to a concerned family member to take the necessary steps to save an addicted life. However, a person concerned for a friend or family member may not know what the factors of addiction truly are or what they should watch for regarding their loved one’s actions and emotions.
An Intake Counselor with Narconon speaks from her experience in dealing with thousands of individuals coming to Narconon for drug rehab.
“As an Intake Counselor for Narconon, I often get asked, ‘What are the factors of addiction? What are the things I should be watching for?’ There are three factors when dealing with addiction. Number one is the actual physical cravings—that’s the actual physical need for the drug itself. The second is depression—because your loved one isn’t happy with the way things have gotten. And the third is guilt over the things that have happened. Every addict is dealing with at least one of these factors, if not all three.”
An effective drug rehab program must address the whole individual. Those cravings must be reduced or eliminated, the depression must be reversed and the guilt must be eased. With a drugless withdrawal and a thorough detoxification to eliminate drug residues that are stored in the fatty tissues of the body, the Narconon program addresses the cravings. As these reduce or disappear and the addict moves forward to build a new, sober life, much of the depression and guilt disappears as well.
To achieve that sober life, recovering individuals must learn how to restore self-respect and personal values. They must learn the skills needed to live a drug-free life, take responsibility and live an honest, ethical life. They also need to learn how to communicate more effectively. The Narconon Life Skills Courses provide the knowledge and give the important tools to help a recovering individual so he can go back home and have the confidence in handling all that life can throw at him.
Narconon specializes in not only specifically handling cravings, depression and guilt, but also in thoroughly resolving both the physical and mental aspects of addiction. For more information on treatment programs, visit narconon.org or call 1-800-737-5250.
Need more information on drug addiction? Visit our Drug Addiction FAQ page.