Substance abuse recovery cannot be done alone. If you are serious about taking back control of your life, you will need to work with physicians, therapists, counselors, dieticians, and many other kinds of professionals to make that happen. Drug addiction is a complex disease—and the American Medical Association does classify it as a disease. It is associated with a number of conditions that must be identified and dealt with.
Millions of people struggle with substance abuse and dependence. You should not feel as though you are the only one who has gone through this particular difficulty. There are as many ways to descend into this form of dependency as there are ways out of it. You will have your own story about how it came to consume everything you cherish, love, and worked for. It is quite well-established that in some cases substance abuse runs in families. If you are the descendant of generations of individuals who have suffered from it, then you have a higher likelihood of falling victim to it.
Serious and persistent difficulties in your home and professional life can also lead to substance abuse. Taking drugs or drinking to excess can be your way of coping with the demands of your job. The stress and strain that modern professionals have to deal with too often goes unnoticed and unrecognized for what it is: a direct challenge to the mental stability and sanity of most ordinary people.
The world is racing ahead at an increasingly rapid rate, and it is becoming harder and harder for individuals to keep up. The difficulties, complexities, and complications of work are so extensive and constant that it takes all that individuals have just to keep up. Office politics and other interpersonal maneuverings only add to such stress—and indeed can be what ultimately pushes you to addiction.
If you have not already done so, you soon will see the negative impact of substance abuse on your life and work. You will gradually feel as though your life is slipping away from you. It will seem as though you cannot keep the masterful grip you once had on all your affairs. More and more time, energy, and money will go towards the drugs, and you will let slip all the things that are really important in your life—family, job, and the professional future you’ve worked so hard to attain. Rather than waiting until the damage is done you should seek the help you need to recover from substance abuse.
The good news is that it is possible to bounce back, to get your life back in order and leave the addiction behind you. Getting help with substance abuse started with your decision to look into the matter. It was a bold and important first step towards getting your problem with drugs resolved. Acknowledging it, admitting that you need help with your addiction is not a sign of weakness. It is very much a sign of strength. It shows that you are neither blind to the effects of your dependence nor are you afraid of confronting the problem head on.
You can fight and win. Get help here: nida.nih.gov
Have you decided to end your addiction to drugs? That is the most important step. Now get the help you need to take further steps by entering a Substance abuse recovery program.