Drug Addiction Treatment Stages

Drug addiction treatment is extremely important for individuals suffering from drug addiction problems. Sobriety can be an impossible goal when you are struggling with addiction however it is important to remember that recovery is never beyond your reach. Although most drug addiction cases look hopeless from an addicts perspective, there is always a way out through drug addiction treatment. If you are interested in learning more about drug addiction treatment, below are the main drug addiction treatment stages that will help you recover completely.

1. Deciding to change your situation

This is the first drug addiction treatment stage. It is in fact the toughest stage of drug addiction treatment because it involves making a very hard decision to stop using drugs. It is important to note that the decision has to come from within otherwise the other drug addiction treatment stages won't be effective. This stage involves making tough decisions i.e. changing the way you spend your free time, changing friends, changing how you deal with stress, changing how you think of yourself e.t.c.

Preparing for change is a vital part of this stage. You must constantly remind yourself your reasons for wanting to change. You must also consider your past attempts to stop using drugs. This involves thinking about what works and what doesn't when you want to stop using drugs. Preparing for change also involves setting specific goals which are measurable and removing all addiction reminders from your life.

2. Exploring treatment options

The second stage of drug addiction treatment is exploring actual drug addiction treatment options. It is important to consider a number of things in this stage. For instance, you need to note that there isn't a single treatment that is universal i.e. works for everyone. When considering drug treatment programs, you need to look for specialized programs that deal with unique situations and problems. You should avoid generalized treatment programs because they don't work.

You should also consider treatment programs that address more than drug abuse. Drug addiction affects relationships, careers and health. The treatment option you settle for has to address all those problems among many others i.e. handling stress, starting a new life, making new friends e.t.c.

3. Find support

The next drug addiction stage after exploring all your treatment options is finding support. It is important to note that most addicts fail to deal with their addiction problems effectively because of choosing to deal with their problem on their own. You shouldn't try any drug addiction treatment on your own because chances are you won't succeed. You need external support from family, friends and other individuals who have gone through what you are going through. You shouldn't feel ashamed of finding support.

Recovering from addiction is a very hard thing. You need all the support you can get. You should look for people who can guide and encourage you as well as lend a listening ear. Looking for support is easy. For instance, you can choose to lean on close family members and friends. You can also look for support in sober social networks. There are very many people who are in the same situation you are in. Sober social networks are one of the best sources of support because they consist of people who know exactly what it feels like to be an addict. Your friends and family members may be supportive however they can't be able to know or understand what you are going through which is very important for recovery. You have to feel understood to be able to accept your situation and device ways of getting your life back.

4. Learn constructive ways of coping with stress

It is important to note that most people use drugs to relieve stress. Life can be stressing sometimes especially when things are not going according to plan. You must realize that stress will always be present in your life even after recovery. This is one of the reasons why learning how to cope with stress constructively is important. It is possible to deal with stress in a constructive manner. You don't need to turn to drugs every time you face difficulties in life. You can learn to deal with stress from the source. Anger, frustration, shame, anxiety, hopelessness are all sources of stress. Some effective ways of dealing with stress include; exercising and meditating.