With Treatment
Substance abuse looks different on everyone and doesn’t discriminate between class, gender, or ethnicity. The stigma attached to seeking out substance abuse treatment applies to anyone with an addiction. For some individuals, it started out as drinking at college parties every weekend to let go of the week’s stress of essays and tests. For others, it may have been meeting someone at work in a new city and an introduction to the stimulating effects of stimulants that helped them feel like they accomplished more. Even stressed out moms have a glass or two of wine every night and still get up in the morning and take care of the kids, but it’s an issue when they rely on it to get through the day.
There is no shame whatsoever in someone admitting that they might have a drug or alcohol problem. It happens gradually until they think that they need the substance to relax or function as it creeps to the forefront of their thoughts on a daily basis. When someone recognizes that they need help and want to seek out substance abuse treatment, they must consider the differences between the support methods that are available so that they can choose what will be the best choice for their situation. This decision can help them receive the recovery necessary to regain control of their lives.
The first part of starting a substance abuse treatment program is recognizing that there is a problem. This sounds cliché; however, being open and vulnerable to the idea that life choices have negatively affected their existence is key in creating the motivation an addict may need to embark upon a difficult recovery journey. External and internal bodily harm can be part of the diagnostics, but there are behavioral elements that also point to an addiction being present. A user may not meet all of the criteria depending on the abused substance, but even one may suggest that they need help becoming and staying sober: