Many people believe in the intuitive explanation for why drug addiction occurs — that addicts are people who are simply lazy and irresponsible. It's a view that doesn't hold up to much scrutiny, however. Addicts go through untold amounts of distress clinging to their addictions, and lose their lives along the way; people who are lazy or irresponsible rarely remain the way they are in the face of such pain. It's what we try to explain to both addicts and their families at our center for drug withdrawal in Cuyahoga Falls.
If addicts continue to indulge in addictive behavior in the face of a clear downturn in their lives, it's for two reasons: physical addiction and psychological addiction. Physical addiction is tough to fight because it brings out terrifying physical effects called withdrawal symptoms. Psychological addiction can only be addressed once physical addiction is out of the way.
Getting started, then, comes down to addressing physical addiction. Good, scientifically designed drug withdrawal treatment programs are the way to go about it.
Addiction comes about through the action of drugs on the brain's reward center. This region deep inside the brain is in charge of feelings of pleasure, both the intense kind felt at special times, and gentle feelings of well-being that are a constant part of life. Addictive drugs act by forcing the reward center to rapidly release stores of neurotransmitter responsible for hours' worth of pleasure.
The brain loses the ability to control the reward center on its own in the face of such interference, and at some point, switches off to allow the presence of drugs in the brain to run the reward center. When this happens, the brain is said to be physically dependent on the presence of drugs to function.
When the addict tries to quit drugs, it can have serious effects on the brain. The process of depriving the brain of drugs to restore normal function is called detoxification. While the brain's own control mechanisms attempt to restart operations through our drug detox in Cuyahoga Falls, it is a process that takes time. The brain's chemical levels become erratic for days together until normal function is restored. Such erratic behavior has serious consequences. The addict experiences extreme discomfort and pain, together with effects such as seizures, convulsions, hallucinations and cardiac arrest. These effects are referred to as the drug withdrawal syndrome.
Some addicts do attempt to quit drugs on their own. They suffer through the withdrawal symptoms, and emerge with apparently little harm done. This can be a terrible risk, however. Many people do lose their lives to the attempt. Those who do seem to come out of the experience unharmed, quickly relapse. Exposure to certain kinds of withdrawal effect can affect the brain in this way, as part of a phenomenon called kindling.
The idea of going through withdrawal without medical help is a misguided one, also, because most addicts are simply unable to put up with the pain of withdrawal. When faced with the prospect of such pain, addicts usually decide against quitting.
Rehab at drug withdrawal treatment centers is the only safe and scientifically valid way to successfully go through detoxification. The process involves a medically supervised program called medical detox or drug detox.
Drug withdrawal treatment programs are available both in the form of inpatient programs and outpatient programs. At our center for drug withdrawal in Cuyahoga Falls, we explain to our clients that while both approaches do offer the same kinds of medications and treatment on paper, inpatient programs tend to offer greater success rates in practice. Patients who check into a facility receive supervision and care day and night, and tend to do better.
Greater levels of supervision and support result in greater motivation, a lower tendency to cheat, and greater engagement with therapeutic programs aimed at building up psychological defenses against addiction. Inpatient care is also beneficial to patients who experience a dual diagnosis in Cuyahoga Falls (a concurrent mental disorder). Most addicts do come under this category.
Addicts and their families are spoiled for choice when it comes to drug withdrawal treatment facilities. Unfortunately, many of these facilities aren't run to modern medical standards. There is no close government oversight for the rehab industry. As an example, many centers offer scientifically discredited programs such as drugless detox or rapid detox.
Finding addiction professionals to talk to can be one of the best ways to learn to judge rehab centers and drug detox centers for quality. At our center for drug withdrawal in Cuyahoga Falls, we always do our bit to help patients and families by answering their questions and giving them insights into the drug withdrawal and rehab process. If you'd like to speak to one of our experts yourself, all you need to do is call (877) 804-1531.