Drug Addiction

Understanding how and why people become addicted to drugs is a mystery to many people. People often wrongly assume that drug abusers willpower and lack of moral principles contributes to their willingness to stop using drugs. However, drug addiction is a very complex disease, and in reality, someone's good intentions will not make it easy for them to stop using drugs. If fact, even if a person is ready to quit using drugs, it is difficult because drugs alter the brain in ways that promote compulsive drug abuse. Scientific advances has helped use learn more about how drugs work in our brain. So we now know that drug addiction can be treated successfully and that person can live a productive life.

Individuals and society are consequently affected negatively by drug abuser and their addiction. Estimates exceeds $600 billion annually in the total cost of substance abuse in the United States, including health, crime related and productivity costs. Illicit drugs account for $181 billion, tobacco $193 billion, and alcohol $235 billion. These numbers are staggering, however, they don't fully grasp the scope of destructive drug abuse and addiction have on society including public health and safety implications, such as job loss, wearing family down, failing classes, child abuse and domestic violence.

What is Drug Addiction

Drug Addiction is a constant, often backsliding brain disease which cause overwhelming drug seeking and use by a person, without concern for themselves or for those around them. Even though drug use is voluntary in the beginning, the overtime changes that occur in the brain challenge an individual's willpower and ability to resist their extreme urges to take drugs.

Fortunately, there are treatments to help people counter addiction's disruptive effects. Research shows that most patients benefit from a combination of addiction treatment medications along with behavioral therapy. This combination ensures success for most patients. The right treatment tailored for a person's drug abuse patterns, social, psychiatric, and any co-occurring medical problems could lead to a maintained recovery and a life free of drug abuse.

Drug addiction is similar to other chronic and relapsing diseases, such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease and can successfully be managed. Unfortunately, like with other chronic diseases, relapse is common and drug abuse reoccurs. However, relapse is not because of treatment failure, but is an indicator that treatment needs to be reinstated. adjusted, or an alternate treatment is needed to help that individual regain control so they can start back on the road to recovery.

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Although we treat hundreds of disorders at The St Mary Institute with natural methods this website is focused on Natural Treatments.

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