Addiction Vs. Recovery
You can recover from addiction. This is a public service website meant to help you or a loved one overcome addiction. It is based on independent and verified medical research.
You can use this site in a few ways.
- Decide if you have an addiction.
- Learn about the genetics of addiction.
- Read about alcohol, tranquilizers, marijuana, cocaine, and opiates.
- Learn relapse prevention skills that will improve your chances of success.
- Learn how to help a family member who has an addiction.
You are not alone. Many people have overcome addiction and are now enjoying a better life. It can be done. You too can do it.
What is Addiction?
A substance addiction meets two criteria:
- You have difficulty controlling how much you use or how long you use. For example, one drink leads to more drinks, or one line of cocaine leads to more.
- You continue to use even though it has negative consequences to your life. For example, you continue to drink even though it has hurt your relationships.
Those two criteria define all addictions. They are true for alcohol and drug addiction, but they're also true for gambling addiction, eating disorders, and sexual addiction.
There are different stages of addictions. The late stage is the non-functioning addict. They've lost their job and have to use every day. It's what people think addiction is like, but that stereotype is rare.
The early stage is the functioning addict. They still have a job and their relationships are intact, but their life is suffering because of their addiction. That is the most common scenario. You don't have to suffer major losses to have an addiction.
The consequences of addiction get worse over time. Addiction is a progressive disease. It's never easy to quit. But if you've already suffered negative consequences and don't want them to get worse, there's never a better time to quit than now.
If you need help with addiction and are ready for recovery, give us a call at 1-800-513-5423 today. www.drugrehabservices.com
