Diving into how addiction can quickly overtake your lifestyle, it’s important to first understand that addiction isn’t simply a lack of willpower. Addiction is a lifelong disease that can be diagnosed and treated, just as most other diseases. Even though there’s no cure for it, the right treatment and support can help anyone overcome their dependence on drugs or alcohol.
The advancement of modern addiction treatment and rehab has come with more inclusion of mental health services, increases chances of success for those needing help. Another crucial aspect of addiction is that it doesn’t happen overnight and is rarely the decision of the individual to become addicted. Rather, it’s typically the result of self-medicating with substances as the practice slowly grows into substance abuse and finally, substance use disorder (SUD), commonly referred to as addiction.
What Causes Addiction?
Unfortunately for millions of Americans, there’s no single cause for addiction that can be treated with a universal approach. The combination of underlying mental illness, trauma, anxiety, social pressure, and countless other forces are what culminate into the seed of addiction. The more you abuse drugs and alcohol, the more the seed grows before it’s too late to go back without professional help.
A major driving force behind our current addiction epidemic is the accessibility of various substances. Alcohol is available on nearly every block in most major cities and illicit drugs on the streets are being sold in higher numbers every year. We’ve also lived through one of the largest pandemics ever seen, a jarring event that shook the world and led to large numbers of uncertain people seeking refuge in inebriation.
Drinking and using drugs in excess has also been normalized by modern media. Successful artists and celebrities commonly show off their lavish party lifestyles, turning them into goals for impressionable viewers. Now combine the idea that frivolous spending on drugs and alcohol equates to success along with the availability of them and you’ll quickly see how easy it is for the seed of addiction to be planted and for our views on addiction to be changed.
Once Addiction Spreads, It’s Hard To Contain
Even if there isn’t a cure for addiction, the treatment that you can receive makes it easy to manage when done correctly. There’s no lack of research into addiction, but this doesn’t mean we know everything about the disease. In order to continuously find success in addiction treatment, each program must be adjusted with new research and the needs of each individual.
The speed at which addiction progresses will also change between each person, sometimes deteriorating everything in their life along the way. Addiction can lead to a number of negative impacts on your life, including:
- Strained relationships with friends and family
- Poor performance at work or school leading to lay offs or failed classes
- Self-isolation and limited interactions with others, further worsening your mental state
- Financial struggles as you spend more money and time seeking out drugs and alcohol
- Increase risk of death due to overdose or reckless behavior while under the influence
- Withdrawal symptoms that increase in severity the longer addiction is left untreated
Even with these symptoms of addiction, anyone currently suffering from SUD can overcome each and every one of them. There’s nothing stopping someone from getting the help they need so long as they’re willing to put in the time and effort that recovery takes.
Find the Right Recovery Center for You
It doesn’t matter if you’ve experienced addiction for months or years, our team of professional psychologists and addiction recovery specialists found at America’s Rehab Campuses can help. With experience helping thousands of guests find sobriety and fulfillment in their lives, we’re ready to help you tackle any problem no matter how big it may seem.
All it takes to get started is to reach out to our intake team for a quick, no-obligation consultation to set up your visit. We can even help with transportation and insurance questions along the way!
